Debates of Nov. 28th, 1996

Privilege

[The Speaker]

Was this in a statement?

[An hon. member]

Yes.

[The Speaker]

Dear colleagues, in a member's statement such as that, it is sometimes one member's opinion against another's.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker]

I do not wish to start a debate. The hon. member for Saint-Denis is here. I do not wish to see a debate, so if she wishes to-

[Michel Bellehumeur, Bloc, Berthier—Montcalm, QC]

She should apologize.

[The Speaker]

No? So that is the way it is.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Michel Bellehumeur, Bloc, Berthier—Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it will be a free-for-all in here.

[The Speaker]

I see that, when there are statements, your speaker cannot always know what is going on everywhere in the country. We have had a statement by an hon. member and another who says that this was not correct.

In my opinion, this is something-

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker]

The hon. member has had the chance to correct it, and I gave him the chance to speak. In my opinion, this is not a question of privilege.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker]

In our debates here in the House, there are always two points of view on almost everything. If the hon. member has something to add, he may do so very briefly, but this is not a question of privilege. I am, however, giving him a few seconds.

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member maintains what she has said, let her do it from her seat, for she lied.

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Saint-Denis made a statement in the period allotted for Statements by Members. What I heard of the statement I found to be legitimate. She did not use any unparliamentary language.

Statements by members are opinions of one member speaking in the House according to the fact as she knows them. I heard the hon. member for Laurier-Sainte-Marie saying that the facts were inexact and of course when one hon. member stands in this place we take his or her word on the facts.

However, perhaps in my leniency because I want to clear this up, I made the decision and I have given my decision that it is not a point of privilege. At that point, the hon. member for Laurier-Sainte-Marie rose to his feet and he did use language which was unparliamentary.

This Speaker does not judge the content of any statements that are made here, but you have given the responsibility to your Speaker to decide what language is acceptable and therefore parliamentary or unparliamentary.

I find that the words "elle a menti", "she lied", are not acceptable in this House. I implore the House leader of the Bloc Quebecois to please withdraw those words "elle a menti". The point was made as to what he wanted to do. I would ask the hon. member to please withdraw those words.

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I will never put up with hypocrisy.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

[The Speaker]

I address myself directly to you, my colleague, the hon. member for Laurier-Sainte-Marie. This is no longer a question of what one member said or what another member said.

My colleague, we surely do not want to precipitate the crisis which would prohibit the House from continuing with its work for the day.

The hon. member suggests it was a personal attack. I will undertake later on in the day to review the blues to see if it was a personal attack. In the meantime, my colleague, it is no longer a question of whether it was a personal attack, what was said and what was not said, it is a request from your Speaker to withdraw the words "elle a menti".

I would once again ask the hon. member if he would withdraw those words so that we can get on with the business of the House.

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in light of your decision to reconsider the matter, to study the statements made, I withdraw my words and we shall reconsider our attitude, subsequent to your decision, in the period for Statements by Members. We shall act as we feel we should, otherwise we will act like her.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[The Speaker]

I thank the hon. member for withdrawing his words. We are now ready to get down to work.

Business Of The House

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am asking the government what is on its legislative agenda for the coming days.

[Paul Zed, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, we will continue this afternoon with the business already listed. Tomorrow will be the day allotted for final consideration of the third reading stage of Bill C-29.

Next week it will be December which means that there are only two weeks until the date on which this House is scheduled to begin its year end adjournment. In order to be helpful to the House, I wish to indicate our priorities for this period.

On Monday at noon the government shall propose concurrence in a number of notices of way and means. It appears that it will be necessary for the House to consider again in accordance with section 47 of the Constitution Act 1982 the resolution regarding the terms of union with Newfoundland. This will be the subject of debate on Monday.

Among the bills to be introduced on Monday on the basis of the notice of ways and means will be the bill regarding sales tax harmonization. It is our intention to commence debate on second reading of this bill on Tuesday.

Early next week we expect the report of the finance committee on its prebudget consultations. As usual we intend to set aside two days for a prebudget debate.

Those are our three priorities for December. As hon. members know, there is a long list of 32 bills awaiting consideration, including 14 bills in committee and nine bills at report stage or at third reading. Whenever we have the time during the next two weeks, we will also attempt to make progress on these measures and we will encourage the committees to attempt to do the same.

I am saying this not as a form of pressure but in order to permit members to make their plans. As matters now stand, it does not appear it will be in the public interest for the House and especially its committees to expect to go from December 13 to February 3 without sitting for legislative work.

[Ray Speaker, Reform, Lethbridge]

Mr. Speaker, to facilitate our planning in the Reform Party and to assist the government as much as we can, my understanding is that the Minister of Health will be introducing a major piece of legislation on Tuesday, the tobacco legislation.

I would like the parliamentary secretary to the government House leader to indicate whether there is any other legislation like that or major bills yet to be introduced that we are not aware of so that we can work them into the plans of the House and facilitate things the best we can.