Debates of Feb. 18th, 2000

Points Of Order

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

The rules and the precedence of the Chair are quite clear. When the Chair asks for unanimous consent on this or any other motion, it is not necessary for the members to be in their places. It is only necessary for the Chair to recognize a member anywhere in the Chamber. That can be behind the curtain. It can be anywhere in the purview or the sight of the Chair. It can be anywhere that the Speaker can see that the member is a sitting member.

In order to vote it is a completely different story. Members must be in their seats at the time the question is read. It is an interesting and a good question, but that is the reason.

[Bernard Bigras, Bloc, Rosemont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have here part of the report entitled “Rapport sur l'intégrité territoriale du Québec dans l'hypothèse de l'accession à la souveraineté”, a document that was tabled with the Commission d'étude des questions afférentes à la souveraineté, in May 1992, in the Quebec National Assembly.

It reads “The territory is well defined. The existing limits constitute the borders of the new nation”.

I ask for the unanimous consent of the House to table this document.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

The hon. member for Rosemont has asked for the unanimous consent of the House to table a document. Is there unanimous consent?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Some hon. members]

No.

[Antoine Dubé, Bloc, Lévis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I know you are very interested in my area, and that is why I would like to read to you a quotation from an article in Le Soleil of December 12, under the title “The Blues of the Insurance Salesman”.

It reads “With a little bit of luck, obviously, the intergovernmental affairs minister could have done an amazing number of things in life. In the national hockey league, he would have had the videocam set up inside the net to see whether the puck gets across the thin red line or not. In the gardening business, his success would have been even more immediate. The intergovernmental affairs minister would have made a phenomenal lawnmower. Not a single blade of grass would have been left sticking out of the lawn—”

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order with a view to guiding us back to the straight and narrow. It is completely unnecessary for an hon. member to read the document that he is requesting consent to table.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

I thank the member for that. I do understand that it is unnecessary, but it is the purview of the Chair to determine how far they go along. When the Chair has a sense of where this is going, the Chair will intervene.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Verchères, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in the context of the comments by my hon. colleague, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, I would like to get some advice from you.

Is it possible, under the Standing Orders, to rise on a point of order during another point of order? Because, if I understand correctly what has just happened, my hon. colleague for Lévis had the floor on a point of order and, during his point of order, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons rose on a point of order, and you recognized him.

So, is it possible, under the Standing Orders, to rise on a point of order during another point of order?

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

It depends on the point of order. A point of order obviously has to relate to the order of the proceedings of the legislation before the House.

If a point of order is raised because a point of order in progress is out of order, perhaps because it is going on too long, then it would be in order. However, if it were a short distinct point of order then it would not be in order. To keep order, the Chair must determine which point of order is or is not in order.

In this instance, that point of order was in order, as well as the one the member raised. However, the point of order of the whip is not in order.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Verchères, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my point of order was not intended to call anyone to order, but to ask you what it was possible to do or not to do in the circumstances. By your answer, you have shown, once again, and once again I am impressed, that you are gifted with divinatory talents.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

The hon. member for Lévis-et-Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, so that he can conclude.

[Antoine Dubé, Bloc, Lévis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I felt that the December 12 article by Mr. Gagné was very interesting because it dealt with the Canadian Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.

I ask, in accordance with the rules, for unanimous consent to table this very interesting document.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

Is there unanimous consent?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Some hon. members]

No.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, being encouraged by the unanimous consent given to the hon. member for Laval East to table a document explaining how a majority of 50% plus one was adequate, I ask for the unanimous consent of the House to table a newspaper article.

This article, entitled “Sovereignty: Chrétien is shadow boxing”, will help convince other Liberal members that a majority of 50% plus one is the only majority acceptable in democracy.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

Is there unanimous consent of the House?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Some hon. members]

No.

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, following the announcement by the government of its intention to introduce a bill which will change referendum rules in Quebec, I would like to table an extract of the Referendum Act—

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

I am sorry to interrupt the hon. member, but she may not ask to table more than one document today.

[Gilles-A. Perron, Bloc, Saint-Eustache—Sainte-Thérèse, QC]

Mr. Speaker, with your permission, following the introduction by the infamous Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs of a bill denying all the fundamental rights of Quebecers, I ask for the unanimous consent of the House to table this document that will certainly enlighten members opposite. It is an article published in Le Devoir on February 10 last and entitled “Quebec made its nest in Davos”.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

I am sorry, but I missed what the hon. member had to say, as I was speaking with the clerk.

Is the member for Rivière-des-Mille-Îles asking a question of me?

[Gilles-A. Perron, Bloc, Saint-Eustache—Sainte-Thérèse, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am sorry to wake you up or to distract you from your intelligent discussion with your colleague, but I have asked permission to table a document and I sincerely believe that all members will give their consent.