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

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

10:55 a.m.

Reform

Chuck Strahl Reform Fraser Valley, BC

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

10:55 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Order, please. I thought the hon. member for Roberval had risen on a point of order and had finished, as he then sat down.

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

10:55 a.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

10:55 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Fine. I will give him the floor again if he so wishes.

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

10:55 a.m.

Bloc

Michel Gauthier Bloc Roberval, QC

Mr. Speaker, I sincerely believe that all of us, that is you, the members of this House and myself, will have to be extremely careful in the minutes to come to ensure that what will take place here is not misinterpreted.

The reason I sat down is because it was absolutely impossible to speak in the House, because members of the Liberal majority were yelling so loudly. And that is a fact.

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

10:55 a.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

10:55 a.m.

Bloc

Michel Gauthier Bloc Roberval, QC

If I sat down, it was because it is your duty to ensure that my right to speak is protected in this House. I am now asking the Chair to ask them to be quiet, so that I can conclude my point of order.

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

11 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

I would like to assure the hon. member for Roberval that I can hear him. Had I thought it was impossible to do so I would certainly have taken action. I can indeed hear him and I would ask him to speak directly to his point of order so that I may give a ruling.

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

11 a.m.

Bloc

Michel Gauthier Bloc Roberval, QC

Mr. Speaker, a while ago we had a conversation outside the House to discuss a problem, that of being unable to hear my colleague, the Bloc Quebecois whip. Somehow you can hear me in all this noise when I cannot hear myself for the racket from the other side. That is what I wished to tell you.

Now that they have settled down a bit, I simply wish to tell you—

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

11 a.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

11 a.m.

Bloc

Michel Gauthier Bloc Roberval, QC

Now that they have settled down a bit, I simply wish to tell you that members on this side, regardless—

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

11 a.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

11 a.m.

Bloc

Michel Gauthier Bloc Roberval, QC

—of members from Quebec on the other side who are put out, are perfectly entitled to seek your attention, to raise a point of order, to suggest that material relevant to the debate we are now having be read or considered. That is our perfect right and I call on you to observe the Standing Orders, to protect the right to speak of members in this House, and to ask the members of the government party to be quiet, whether they like it or not.

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

11 a.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

11 a.m.

Reform

Chuck Strahl Reform Fraser Valley, BC

Mr. Speaker, it does seem to me to be perfectly logical that the Bloc members want to table documents. I have no problem with that. However, it would not hurt to have a little debate before they head off in the direction they are going in now. Why do we not enter into the debate and afterward, if they want to make dilatory motions and so on, let us have that.

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

11 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

The Chair is cognizant of the fact that sometimes there is some noise in the Chamber, not all on one side, I may say. The Chair cannot stop members from yelling but the Chair does try to encourage order in the debate.

The Chair has an obligation to ensure that each member has the right to express his or her views in the House and I would always wish to protect this right, even those of the hon. member for Roberval, when other members have something to say. I am here to rule on a point of order.

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

11 a.m.

Bloc

Michel Bellehumeur Bloc Berthier—Montcalm, QC

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Before the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs sees fit to address in this House the bill denying the basic rights of Quebecers, I would like to table a speech made by the Prime Minister of Canada on November 28, 1999, where he said—

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

11 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Is there unanimous consent for the hon. member to table this document?

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

11 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

11 a.m.

Some hon. members

No.

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

11 a.m.

Bloc

Michel Bellehumeur Bloc Berthier—Montcalm, QC

Mr. Speaker, you are not letting me finish.

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

11 a.m.

Bloc

René Laurin Bloc Joliette, QC

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Before the House begins consideration of the bill, I would like to table in the House a study released by the Library of Parliament on the basic rights of Canadians and Quebecers. The study was carried out in 1984 and revised in—

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

11 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Is there unanimous consent for the hon. member to table this document?

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

11 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Points Of OrderGovernment Orders

11 a.m.

Some hon. members

No.