Transport Committee on June 3rd, 2010

[Bonnie Crombie, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Certainly, there is a reference in subclause 7(1), Mr. Chairman, and I was getting to the balance of the re-amended subclause 7(2) before I was so interrupted.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

I would just ask that you deal with the amendment to subclause 7(2) as amended. Please proceed.

[Bonnie Crombie, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Before I was interrupted, I was trying to convey that what we need to preserve here is that the minister is ultimately responsible for, as described in subclause 7(2), the cost of planning, designing, constructing, installing, and maintaining of the monument and any other costs incurred, and that the council may support the ultimate responsibility that falls on the minister.

This is integral to the essence of the original intent of the bill: that the underlying responsibility remain with the minister, not the council, and that the council can play a supporting role.

And I can--

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Mr. Jean, a point of order.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

Actually, the original text that Mrs. Crombie is referring to, which she voted in favour of, and Mr. Volpe voted in favour of, and Mr. Dhaliwal voted in favour of, talks about the council spearheading a fundraising campaign to cover the cost of constructing the monument. That's the original thing they voted for.

I don't know where she's going on about the minister being responsible for all of this, because nowhere in this text or the amendment does it talk about the minister. I would just ask that she be relevant.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

On the same point of order, Mr. Volpe.

[Joe Volpe, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

The point of order is that this committee has already voted on subclause 7(1) and accepted the amended subclause 7(1). I'll read into the record what that says:

The Minister shall be responsible for the construction and maintenance of the Monument.

Therefore, the government's amendment, as subamended by Mr. Bevington, addresses the issue of support for an amendment that's already been approved by this committee.

[Bonnie Crombie, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Precisely.

[Joe Volpe, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

So if Mrs. Crombie is speaking to what subclause 7(2), as per the government's amendment G-6.1 says, it is absolutely relevant to how the relationship goes to the minister.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

I'll ask Mrs. Crombie to continue, and to continue dealing with the amendment as subamended under debate.

[Bonnie Crombie, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

There does seem to be some confusion, even on the part of Mr. Jean. Yes, we voted for it. He voted for it. His party voted for it. In fact, the entire Parliament voted for this bill, so we don't understand the need for this subamendment and these amendments continually being presented. What was passed at the last meeting, which unfortunately I wasn't able to be present at, was Liberal amendment 2 to clause 7. It reads:

The Minister shall be responsible for the construction and maintenance of the Monument.

Now, as we had just voted on a subamendment to this clause, we now continue on with G-7.2 to suggest that:

The Council shall spearhead a fundraising campaign to cover the cost of--

[An hon. member]

Rather than “cover”, we're now going to “support”.

[Bonnie Crombie, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

I'm just going to try this one more time. It reads:

The Council shall spearhead a fundraising campaign to support the cost of planning, designing, constructing, installing and maintaining the Monument, and any other costs incurred by the Council.

The fundamental essence of the bill and the amendment and the subamendment is the ultimate responsibility of the minister, and that intent and that integrity must be preserved. What we don't want to see is continued contempt for the procedure and contempt for Parliament, which this government and the government members have enacted here through these underhanded and--

[Jeff Watson, Conservative, Essex, ON]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Mr. Watson on a point of order.

[Jeff Watson, Conservative, Essex, ON]

I believe it's only the Speaker who can rule on contempt of Parliament, not the member.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

That is a point of order, and again, Mrs. Crombie, I would ask you to be relevant to the amendment that we're actually addressing, please.

[Bonnie Crombie, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I withdraw my comment that it was contempt of Parliament. I'll just stick to chicanery, trickery, and underhandedness.

Fundamentally, we need to preserve the minister's ultimate responsibility for establishing the monument.

Where are we again? No, no. We're going right around in circles, Mr. Chair.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

A point of order.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Mr. Jean on a point of order.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

What does that have to do with the amendment? I'm asking for relevance, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Again, I think you have to address the amendment as presented, please.

Mrs. Crombie.

[Bonnie Crombie, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Mr. Chairman, I think I have been fairly clear in our discussion that ultimately the minister has to retain ultimate responsibility so that we can preserve the original intent of the bill. Anything less is a shift of responsibility--

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

A point of order.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Mr. Jean on a point of order.