Debates of Feb. 26th, 1998

Point Of Order

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Mr. Speaker, if there was any doubt as to who set the agenda for not only the House leaders' meeting, to which the hon. House leader for the Conservative Party referred, or for that matter any other House leaders' meeting, clearly it was I who placed all the items on the agenda other than the ones that are spontaneously added at the end of each meeting.

Therefore, all the items that are placed on the agenda are placed by me and there is no doubt about that. If there is any suggestion that it was not I who had placed it on, let that be cleared because in fact it was. That is definitely clarified.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Verchères, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would simply like to respectfully draw your attention, in connection with your decision to delay a ruling on the suggestion by the government House leader regarding this afternoon's incident, to the fact that the Chair made a ruling on a similar incident early this afternoon when we called for an end to the interruption of our colleague.

I believe I understand, and I agree with you entirely that the question of pride displayed in this House must be given careful consideration. But such consideration must examine whether pride that may be expressed in this House may go so far as to apply to a flag of one of the ten provinces of this great country, as we had thought possible when we were elected in 1993.

[The Speaker]

It is a bit off this point of order. I am hoping to put it to rest in just a minute.

Does the hon. member for York South—Weston have something to add to this point?

[John Nunziata, Independent, York South—Weston, ON]

Yes, I do, Mr. Speaker. Some might consider this to be a frivolous matter, but a few moments ago you indicated to the House that you would be my voice as the only independent member of Parliament with respect to the matter that was discussed at a House leaders' meeting.

As I understand it, Mr. Speaker, you are not present at House leaders' meetings. I know it was not your intent to mislead the House or to mislead Canadians.

As I understand the workings of the House leaders, the leaders of each of the respective political parties get together, not in public but behind closed doors, to make decisions that impact on all members of Parliament in the House, members in their own political party including the member for York South—Weston.

Often, Mr. Speaker, you seek unanimous consent in order to implement the decisions of the House leaders, decisions that I have not participated in, decisions that you have not participated in, and I am expected to expedite the workings of the House.

I simply wish you to clarify, Mr. Speaker, that you are not my voice at House leaders' meetings, that you do not participate at House leaders' meetings—

[The Speaker]

I clarify it and I say it publicly. I was not at the House leaders' meetings, but when it comes for the House to act like we did today during question period I recognized you as a participant in the House with a question and a subsequent question, as is my duty in certain circumstances to do.

That I was at the House leaders' meetings, no, but for the most part I do know what is happening in the House of Commons and for that part I will see to it that not only your rights and privileges are protected but that the rights and privileges of all parliamentarians are respected in this House.

With regard to—

[John Nunziata, Independent, York South—Weston, ON]

On the same point of privilege, Mr. Speaker—

[The Speaker]

This is not a point of privilege.

[John Nunziata, Independent, York South—Weston, ON]

Well, it is, Mr. Speaker, because—

[The Speaker]

Excuse me. This is not a point of privilege.

I want to deal with this point of order. I would hope that the House leaders would be able to come together to manifest this. Unless we can work it this way the House just breaks down, unless all 301 of us are at all the meetings and that is virtually impossible.

If the hon. member for York South—Weston wishes to pursue this, I will speak with him in my chambers. I would gladly do that.

[John Nunziata, Independent, York South—Weston, ON]

On a point of privilege, Mr. Speaker, the place to speak is here in the House of Commons. You referred a matter to the House leaders—

[The Speaker]

I will hear a final intervention on this point of order.

[Peter MacKay, Progressive Conservative, Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS]

Mr. Speaker, very briefly, I am afraid the impression that has been left with the House by the intervention of the House leader of the Reform Party is that we as a party are not willing or do not wish to sit tomorrow.

I would ask that you put the motion to the House for unanimous consent for us to sit tomorrow. We are ready, willing and able to be here tomorrow to sit in this Parliament. I would ask that the motion be put to the House.

[The Speaker]

Does the hon. member have the permission of the House to put a motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Some hon. members]

No.

[The Speaker]

There is not agreement. It will not be put.

[Some hon. members]

Division.

[The Speaker]

The hon. member did not receive permission to put his motion. Therefore there is no motion to vote upon.

The House resumed consideration of the motion that this House approves in general the budgetary policy of the government; of the amendment; and of the amendment to the amendment.

The Budget

[The Acting Speaker (Ms. Thibeault)]

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs has three minutes left in the debate.

[George Proud, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Madam Speaker, I will conclude by saying that I am very pleased with the budget presented here on Tuesday. I know that the people of Canada will be very pleased with it and that the government has done many things Canadians have been seeking for a long time.

In my short time here, getting on to 10 years, this has been a budget that I was glad to follow and to wait for. I knew it would be a budget that would satisfy many Canadians. As a person from the east coast of Canada, I know that the education budget, as I call it, will be one where students have more access to education. People who have been out of school for some time will have more access to education. Part time and full time students will have more access and more money made available to them. I believe that Canadians are going to be very pleased with what this budget does over the next period of time. We have given tax breaks. As I have said, we have made education more accessible and we have done a lot of things that are going to make Canadians very proud.

The Canadian economy is going along very well. We have created over a million jobs. We are creating jobs for the future by putting in place areas where we can train more people for the millennium and train people to go into the new industries.

I am very pleased with this. I know that Canadians are in general. I will close by saying that the rest of my time will be taken up by the hon. member for Etobicoke—Lakeshore.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Verchères, QC]

Madam Speaker, in the spirit of the Speaker's earlier ruling, that is, later consideration of the matter of the relevance of expressing forms of pride here in this House, I would ask you to request members who still have flags at their desks to withdraw them.

[The Acting Speaker (Ms. Thibeault)]

As such items may influence debate in this House, I would ask all members to simply put their flags in their desks for the moment and we will go on.

The hon. member for Verchères on a point of order.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Verchères, QC]

Madam Speaker, on the same point of order, it appears that some members have failed to act on your ruling, which seemed quite clear to me. I would therefore ask you to require the removal of the flags from the desks of some of our colleagues.

[The Acting Speaker (Ms. Thibeault)]

If any members have not put away their flags, I would ask them to please do so. I cannot see every seat right now. I would ask for your co-operation. Would the hon. member for Elk Island put away his flag, please.