House of Commons Hansard #63 of the 36th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was yea.

Topics

Division No. 800Government Orders

2:30 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Division No. 800Government Orders

2:30 a.m.

Some hon. members

No.

Division No. 800Government Orders

2:30 a.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

Division No. 800Government Orders

2:30 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Order, please. I will not hear any more points of order.

Division No. 800Government Orders

2:30 a.m.

Bloc

Benoît Sauvageau Bloc Repentigny, QC

Mr. Speaker, if you will allow me, and since you prevented me from voting earlier, I would like my vote recorded with that of the Bloc Quebecois and would like to ask you where in the Montpetit-Marleau the time limit for voting is defined? Do you decide on the time limit? That is my question.

Division No. 800Government Orders

2:30 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

I decided and that is the end of the discussion. We can continue.

Division No. 800Government Orders

2:30 a.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

Division No. 800Government Orders

2:30 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

The next question is on Motion No. 43.

(The House divided on Motion No. 43, which was negatived on the following division:)

Division No. 801Government Orders

March 13th, 2000 / 2:35 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

I declare Motion No. 43 lost.

Division No. 801Government Orders

2:35 a.m.

Bloc

Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères, QC

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. I must tell you that something of some concern happened a few minutes ago. Simply because a colleague took too long, in your opinion, to rise, you deprived the members in the subsequent rows, that is, the second, third, fourth and fifth rows, of their right to vote.

Division No. 801Government Orders

2:35 a.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

Division No. 801Government Orders

2:35 a.m.

Bloc

Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères, QC

How can you assume, simply because a colleague delayed too long to vote, in your opinion, and knowingly—

Division No. 801Government Orders

2:35 a.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

Division No. 801Government Orders

2:35 a.m.

Bloc

Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères, QC

Mr. Speaker, could you tell our colleagues opposite to stop bellowing for a few minutes, so I can finish making my point?

How, simply because a colleague—

Division No. 801Government Orders

2:35 a.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

Division No. 801Government Orders

2:35 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Order, please. I want to hear the point of order of the hon. whip of the Bloc Quebecois and I hope we may all hear him.

Division No. 801Government Orders

2:40 a.m.

Bloc

Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères, QC

Mr. Speaker, once again, how could you, simply because in your view a colleague took too long to vote, decide out of hand that no other colleague in this House could vote for or against a motion? On the basis of what precedent, what jurisprudence or what Standing Order do you decide you can deprive members of their right to vote simply because one member apparently took too long to vote, in your opinion?

Division No. 801Government Orders

2:40 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

I know that the hon. member has read the new book on procedure. The Chair has a duty to the House to continue proceedings. No one rose at that point to support the motion. There were two votes in favour, and no one—neither the hon. member for Berthier—Montcalm nor any other member of the House—rose.

I thought that everyone who wanted to vote for the motion had already done so and so I called for those who wished to vote against it. I obviously made a decision that was not exactly shared by the other members. That is too bad, but the decision has been made, and we can continue to vote. Clearly, if members wish to vote, they must rise. This is always the rule in the House. We can now continue, because I believe I have answered the question of the hon. whip of the Bloc Quebecois.

Division No. 801Government Orders

2:40 a.m.

Bloc

Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères, QC

Mr. Speaker, according to the procedure generally recognized in this House, so long as the members in the first row have not finished voting, the members in the second row do not begin voting.

How do you expect my colleague from Joliette to rise in support of the motion when our colleague from Berthier—Montcalm had not yet risen? There has been a sort of procedural error, and I would like you to tell me exactly—for the gallery, you referred to Montpetit-Marleau—what allows you to do what you did a few minutes ago?

Division No. 801Government Orders

2:40 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

As I have already indicated, I gave my reasons. Members are required to rise quickly in a vote. This is perfectly reasonable in a vote, and it is in keeping with House precedents in this regard. I will find a quote later to answer the request by the hon. member, but I repeat once again what I said.

The Speaker has an obligation to continue with the work of the House. If members in one row or another choose not to vote, it is not for the Chair to look to the next row. Members must rise if they wish to vote and that is what I have decided.

The next question is on Motion No. 44.

(The House divided on Motion No. 44, which was negatived on the following division:)

Division No. 802Government Orders

2:45 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

I declare Motion No. 44 lost.

Division No. 802Government Orders

2:45 a.m.

Bloc

Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères, QC

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. I call on the co-operation we must have in this House to again ask for unanimous consent so that the members of the Bloc Quebecois who were present in the House during this vote may be recorded as voting in support of this motion in amendment.

Division No. 802Government Orders

2:45 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Is there unanimous consent?

Division No. 802Government Orders

2:45 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Division No. 802Government Orders

2:45 a.m.

Some hon. members

No.