Debates of March 23rd, 2000

Canadian Institutes Of Health Research Act

[Greg Thompson, Progressive Conservative, Charlotte, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. This is trickery of the worst kind. The member who moved the original motion came into the House on bended knee asking for our indulgence to allow him to move this amendment. Just hear me out, Mr. Speaker. I think other members will agree with me.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

No. The point of point of order has to relate to the procedural relevance of what we have done, not the content. We are not going to get into debate on the content.

[Greg Thompson, Progressive Conservative, Charlotte, NB]

Mr. Speaker, you are going to get this side of the House in an agitated state simply because the procedure that they used was trickery of the worst kind, because we consented to the motion not knowing that there was going to be an amendment. They were not honest enough to tell us that they were going to put an amendment to the motion. The members were not here. They have to be present in the House. That is the procedure. They were not here because the government has them out scurrying around doing numerous tasks—

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

What has transpired has transpired. If the members did not want to provide the opportunity earlier for that amendment to be put, the House had the opportunity at that time to deny unanimous consent.

Once that has been done, it has been done. It is not for the Chair to get involved now. What has been done has been done.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Without wishing to challenge your ruling, which are generally very well reasoned, I simply wish to ensure that we have a clear understanding of what is going on.

We gave our consent to an amendment moved by a colleague who was not here—and we admit that this can happen, we all have many obligations—and who wanted the act reviewed every five years by the House of Commons, and I repeat by the House of Commons, the House in which we are sitting.

We gave our consent on that understanding. This is important, because the parliamentary secretary wants to make an amendment—which he is entitled to do—but he wants to change the content.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

I understand, but it is not the role of the Chair to get involved in these negotiations. If there are to be subsequent negotiations, then they need to be done by members behind the curtains. It is not up to the Chair. All the Chair can do is present motions. It is up to the House to accept them or not to accept them. The House accepted them. What has been done has been done.

[Sue Barnes, Liberal, London West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, if I might help to clarify things, the only reason I seconded the motion was to get the mechanism to get to the amendment put just now by the government.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

All right. We will not get into debate on this. I will hear one more point of order from the hon. member for Ottawa Centre.

[Mac Harb, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am sure my colleague from New Brunswick did not mean to say what he said in the House earlier. He used unparliamentary language, which he knows as an experienced member of the House he should not have used. He used the word—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[Gerald Keddy, Progressive Conservative, South Shore, NS]

That is exactly what it was.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

I would invite members to come—

[Lynn Myers, Liberal, Waterloo—Wellington, ON]

Throw him out.

[Mac Harb, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

He used the word dishonest.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

There will be one person on their feet at one time, and that will be the Chair. I invite the hon. member for Ottawa Centre to retake his seat. Any members who wish to have further clarification, I invite them to see the table officers for a detailed rundown on this particular bill.

[Greg Thompson, Progressive Conservative, Charlotte, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I would suggest, because I believe that it was trickery used by the government to get this matter—

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

We have gone down this road twice. We are not going down it again.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I simply want to make sure that—

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

The hon. member for Hochelaga—Maisonneuve has already been on his feet to speak to this group.

We will take one second to check to make sure that it is acceptable for the hon. member for Hochelaga—Maisonneuve to speak.

The hon. member for Hochelaga—Maisonneuve has already spoken to this group. This amendment is part of that group and, therefore, the hon. member for Hochelaga—Maisonneuve will not be on his feet again for this particular group.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I am sure that the parliamentary secretary and hon. members will give their unanimous consent to allow me to address this amendment.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

The hon. member for Hochelaga—Maisonneuve has asked for the unanimous consent of the House to speak again to this motion. Is there unanimous consent?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Some hon. members]

No.

[Greg Thompson, Progressive Conservative, Charlotte, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. That amendment was not in the group of amendments we were speaking to. We did not have an opportunity to speak to it. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I think your ruling in terms of a member speaking twice to that grouping has to change, because that amendment was not before us. I think if you asked the table officers they would be in agreement.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

I thank the hon. member very much for his intervention. I had the advice of the table officers prior to making that particular ruling and I can see that they are busy poring through the books once again. If there is a revision, I will be happy to advise the House.

I do not need any more help from the hon. member for New Brunswick Southwest. Is the House ready for the question?