House of Commons Hansard #39 of the 36th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was quebec.

Topics

Government Response To PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Scarborough—Rouge River Ontario

Liberal

Derek Lee LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to four petitions, and I move:

That the House do now proceed to the orders of the day.

Government Response To PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Bloc

Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères, QC

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.

Government Response To PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Is the point of order being raised by the Bloc Quebecois whip related to the motion put by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons?

Government Response To PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Bloc

Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères, QC

Mr. Speaker, the point of order was prior to that. In fact, I have been on my feet ever since prayers, waiting to be recognized. You recognized the parliamentary secretary first, and what I simply wished, Mr. Speaker, further to the Prime Minister's announcement that he wants to introduce a bill denying Quebecers their fundamental rights—

Government Response To PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Order, please. There is a problem. I indicated that the House would proceed to tabling of documents and recognized the hon. parliamentary secretary. I heard nothing of a point of order at that time. I shall therefore propose the motion to the House at this time.

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

Government Response To PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Government Response To PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Some hon. members

No.

Government Response To PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

All those in favour of the motion will please say yea.

Government Response To PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Some hon. members

Yea.

Government Response To PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

All those opposed will please say nay.

Government Response To PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Some hon. members

Nay.

Government Response To PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

In my opinion the yeas have it.

And more than five members having risen:

Government Response To PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Call in the members.

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Division No. 660Routine Proceedings

10:55 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

I declare the motion carried.

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

10:55 a.m.

Bloc

Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères, QC

Mr. Speaker, further to the Prime Minister's announcement that he wants to introduce a bill denying Quebecers their fundamental rights and in view of the fact that debate on it will begin in a few minutes, I ask for the unanimous consent of the House to table a document that will clarify matters for the House.

It is an article from Le Devoir of March 16, 1995 showing that the 50% plus one rule applies everywhere in Canada, which there seems to be a desire to—

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

10:55 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Is there unanimous consent?

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

10:55 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

10:55 a.m.

Some hon. members

No.

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

10:55 a.m.

Bloc

Yvan Loubier Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC

Mr. Speaker, further to the Prime Minister's announcement that he intends to introduce a bill denying the fundamental rights of Quebecers, I ask for the unanimous consent of the House to table a document which would enlighten the House. The document is the statement made by Premier Lucien Bouchard to the effect that Ottawa—

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

10:55 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Is there unanimous consent?

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

10:55 a.m.

Some hon. members

Yes.

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

10:55 a.m.

Some hon. members

No.

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

10:55 a.m.

Bloc

Michel Gauthier Bloc Roberval, QC

Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit to your kind attention the fact that all parliamentarians in this House are fully entitled to express themselves as they wish and on issues that are of interest to them.

The rules clearly provide—and there is absolutely no doubt about this—that every member, whether or not he or she belongs to the government majority and regardless of what our friends opposite may think, has the right to express himself or herself. Every member has the right to point out to the House the relevance of certain documents—

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

10:55 a.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

10:55 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Is the hon. member rising on the same point of order?