Perhaps I can assist the hon. member. This procedure is unusual in that we do not often sit in committee of the whole House, and the situation in committees of the whole is somewhat different from standing committees of the House because in standing committees there are appeals of the ruling of the chair to the committee and there are votes then in the committee on the appeal. In committee of the whole House the appeal is to the Speaker. The Speaker was found and came in to hear the appeal. I heard the appeal and I say this, again citing from Marleau and Montpetit on page 776:
As with all Speaker's rulings, after it has been delivered by the Speaker, there is no appeal and no discussion is allowed. Only on rare occasions has a Chairman's ruling been overturned. Since the Committee has not risen and reported progress, as soon as the appeal proceedings have been completed, the Speaker leaves the Chair, the Mace is removed from the Table and the Committee of the Whole resumes its deliberations.
I am quite prepared to leave the chair and let the committee of the whole resume its deliberations if that is agreeable to all hon. members.
House in committee of the whole to resume consideration of all votes under Justice in the main estimates, Mr. Kilger in the chair.