Evidence of meeting #76 for Public Safety and National Security in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Clerk of the Committee  Mr. Simon Larouche

5:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon

Mr. Genuis, you're debating a matter that's already been decided.

5:40 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

No, I'm not. I'm talking about the minutes, the accuracy of the minutes.

5:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon

As said—

5:40 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

That is not a matter that has been decided.

5:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon

Excuse me, but I have the floor.

As said, I've asked the clerk to take a look at the minutes and address any deficiencies.

Mr. Julian, please go ahead.

5:40 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I don't want to take any more time on this. I think we've had, as you pointed out, three meetings, at the cost of tens of thousands of dollars to Canadians, where Conservatives—and I mentioned this before—would agree to something off-line that was then changed online.

We had this discussion. It incorporates what the Conservatives were asking for. It incorporates what the government was proposing. It incorporates Madame Michaud's comments. Unless there is some tweaking that needs to be done, I would hope we could just vote on this and move forward.

If any member of this committee feels that we may want to go further after having these meetings on this issue, I would agree in the same way, in the same spirit that we brought to the Canadian heritage committee, with all parties coming together, to look at the issue of safe sport. With an initial meeting that we had on Hockey Canada, it led to—for those who followed the Hockey Canada and Soccer Canada hearings—a study that lasted about six months.

I think all members of this committee will be interested, first, in hearing from the witnesses. Second, we will have the Minister of Public Safety, and it is important for him to answer questions on this and other aspects of his mandate. A third aspect is having this committee be trauma-informed, which was extremely helpful for the Canadian heritage hearings. After that, as a committee, we can decide whether to move forward, whether to continue or whether to invite additional witnesses.

But for goodness' sake, let us stop the incredible waste of resources. We have before us witnesses who come from a wide variety of backgrounds in terms of public safety and who are here to answer questions on Bill C-20. Let us keep the commitment we have to the House and to Canadians to get the Bill C-20 amendments through—and hopefully a bill that is improved—and out of committee and back to the House. That's our responsibility. As the Conservatives indicated, they want to do this study, and this study is now before us.

I'm hoping, given that it is now 5:45 p.m. on day four of this filibuster, that Conservatives will accept the yes, vote for it, and let us move on to the important amendments and improvements that we have to make to Bill C-20.

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon

Were you seeking unanimous consent, or did you wish to carry on with the debate?

5:45 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC

Well, hopefully we can just have a vote.

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon

We can't have a vote, because we have a speakers list. If you were seeking unanimous consent—

5:45 p.m.

Conservative

Doug Shipley Conservative Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON

You mentioned a little tweaking. I'm up next. Can we try to do a little tweaking?

5:45 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC

I don't believe we'll have unanimous consent, just by reading the room, or part of the room, but I will try.

Can we have unanimous consent to adopt the motion as written?

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon

Is it the will of the committee to adopt this motion by unanimous consent?

5:45 p.m.

Some hon. members

No.

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon

We don't have unanimous consent.

Mr. Shipley, go ahead.

5:45 p.m.

Conservative

Doug Shipley Conservative Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON

Thank you, Chair.

It's a rocky start to this one, again.

I think we're getting very close here. I think—

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

Chris Bittle Liberal St. Catharines, ON

[Inaudible—Editor]

5:45 p.m.

Conservative

Doug Shipley Conservative Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON

That really helps. I was actually just going to do my amendments and carry on, but when you just get in the cheap seats, throwing out the cheap comments—

5:45 p.m.

An hon. member

[Inaudible—Editor]

5:45 p.m.

Conservative

Doug Shipley Conservative Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON

No, he didn't say a word to them. I'm trying to focus. They're the ones.... I had the floor.

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon

Let's try to avoid crosstalk, please.

5:45 p.m.

Conservative

Doug Shipley Conservative Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON

But that wasn't me.

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon

No crosstalk, please.

5:45 p.m.

Conservative

Doug Shipley Conservative Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON

When he is speaking, I don't say a word.

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon

No crosstalk, please.

5:45 p.m.

Conservative

Doug Shipley Conservative Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON

He's the one doing it. I have the floor.