Transport Committee on June 3rd, 2010

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

It's not relevant, Mr. Chair. It has nothing to do with this clause whatsoever.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Excuse me, please, I would ask again that you address the amendment as amended, please--

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

Of course it does. The amendment--

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

A point of order, please.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Mr. Volpe on a point of order.

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

I think it's fair to say, Mr. Chairman, that when we're looking at this amended amendment, we must make reference to subclause (1) of what we are amending. We're amending subclause 7(2). Now Mr. Bevington has asked for and received support for changing the word “cover” to “support”. It is our contention--and I believe I'm interpreting what Mrs. Crombie is saying correctly--that by using the word “support”, we're essentially reinforcing the principle and the law that's already been accepted by committee in subclause 7(1), and that nothing that we do from subclause 7(1) onward takes away from the ministerial responsibility to build and to maintain this monument. That's all Mrs. Crombie is doing.

I can't, for the life of me, understand why the parliamentary secretary would think that his amendment, amended, to subclause 7(2) is in any way not on topic, because we're dealing with all of clause 7.

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

On that point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Mr. Jean on the same point of order.

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

Yes, sir. Just to answer his question, the reason I keep doing it, Mr. Chair, is simply because the Liberals continue to filibuster this bill because they don't like what they have in front of them. They don't like the majority of the committee members who do listen to the Jewish community across Canada and who have decided to follow through with their wishes. That's why I keep bringing a point of order, because she's not relevant to the issue, and they're trying simply to delay this bill.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Monsieur Laframboise on the same point of order.

[Mario Laframboise, Bloc, Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC]

What is worse is that they can filibuster on a point of order. Now that is something!

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Order, please.

Again, for clarification of the committee members, the clause that we are dealing with, that has been subamended by Mr. Bevington 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.

So relevance would be important, I think, if members were talking about the council and their role in this amendment.

Mr. Volpe.

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

I just want to get this right, because we want to be relevant. The parliamentary secretary says that any of our input in subclause 7(2) is not relevant because we've already established the principle, in subclause 7(1), that the Liberal Party really does support not only the Jewish community but all Canadians by making sure that the government, through the minister, is responsible for the construction and the maintenance of a monument. He thinks that's wrong. Is that what he's saying?

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

I'm merely suggesting that subclause 7(2) refers directly to the council, not to the minister or government.

Mr. Jean.

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

Yes, it's on the same point of order.

On his point for clarification, what I'm trying to point out to the people listening, Mr. Chair, is that the Liberals are just simply trying to delay this bill and filibuster it. They're not listening to the Jewish community. I think that's ultimately what I'm trying to say.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Thank you.

I would ask Mrs. Crombie to please continue again on subclause 7(2), which deals with the council.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I just wanted to remind the committee that the Liberal Party is very supportive of constructing this monument and will stick to commenting solely on the relevance of subclause 7(2). However, we want to indicate that the parliamentary secretary continues to introduce new information with respect to a letter that was sent to the Jewish community, where he misrepresented facts. They signed under false pretense.

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

A point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Mr. Jean on a point of order.

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

I understand that Mrs. Crombie may wish to say things about my ability here in committee, and other things, but when she starts slandering me personally, Mr. Chair, I take offence at that. I'm doing my job, just like she is filibustering under orders from the Liberal caucus. I am doing my job trying to pass this bill, as I have orders under the Prime Minister to make sure this gets through, because this is what the Jewish community has identified they want. But that does not give her an excuse to slander me or to suggest that I have unethical motives, which she is. I would ask her to apologize for that and refrain from that in the future.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Okay. I'm dealing on the same point of order with Mrs. Crombie.

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

I withdraw my remarks if, in any way, the parliamentary secretary felt that they were slanderous. I withdraw those remarks. My intent is to preserve--

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

That's the point of order now. I think it's been resolved.

Again, Mrs. Crombie, I have to ask you to stay relevant to the amendment as subamended, as opposed to making criticisms of any part of this. We have to deal with the clause, and I would ask that we stay on the clause, please.

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

This is a point of order now.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Mr. Volpe on a point of order.