House of Commons Hansard #371 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was elections.

Topics

Elections Modernization ActGovernment Orders

3:30 p.m.

Conservative

Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Hope, BC

Merry Christmas, Mr. Speaker. The Conservatives agree to apply, and will be voting yes.

Elections Modernization ActGovernment Orders

3:30 p.m.

NDP

Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet NDP Hochelaga, QC

Mr. Speaker, I also want to wish everyone a merry Christmas. The NDP agrees to apply the vote and will vote yes.

Elections Modernization ActGovernment Orders

3:30 p.m.

Bloc

Gabriel Ste-Marie Bloc Joliette, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois members agree to apply the vote, and I will vote in favour of the motion.

Elections Modernization ActGovernment Orders

3:30 p.m.

Independent

Erin Weir Independent Regina—Lewvan, SK

Merry Christmas, Mr. Speaker. The CCF agrees to apply, and will vote yes.

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Vote #984

Elections Modernization ActGovernment Orders

3:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

Joyeuses fêtes, merry Christmas and happy new year to all.

I declare the motion carried.

Member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-MichelPrivilegeGovernment Orders

3:30 p.m.

NDP

Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

Mr. Speaker, I rise on an important question of privilege pursuant to Standing Order 48(1). I very much appreciate that members are keen to return to their constituencies and families. However, I think this question of privilege will be of interest to some members.

Recently, of course, you will well know that the member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel stood in this place to defend his previous absences from Parliament, and you gave us a ruling earlier this week.

We were looking over the member's comments, which were at times passing strange. However, importantly, in the midst of those comments, he likely misled Parliament. If the member were found to be in a prima facie breach of privilege, it would lead to the very serious charge of contempt of Parliament if the members of the procedure and House affairs committee were indeed to find so.

In response to the question of his long absence from Parliament, the member gave a speech in which he, in defending his behaviour, declared something. He said, “I am not collecting a salary from the House of Commons.” He repeated this assertion many times in his speech. You referred to it, actually, in your own ruling.

Just by circumstance, a fellow colleague, another member of Parliament, had written to your office about the possibilities of such a procedure when a member of Parliament who is still occupying a seat foregoes salary, as the member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel claims he has done. The good officials who work on behalf of all of us wrote her back and, in quoting the Parliament of Canada Act, said, “The Parliament of Canada Act is clear in our obligation to make payment until a member retires or resigns.”

Therefore, what the member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel said as part of his justification in defending his eight-month absence from the House of Commons, that he has not been receiving a salary, is factually impossible, as you will now know.

One is either a member of Parliament or not. If one is a member of Parliament, one will receive a salary. If that is true, as the member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel spoke in this place, I assume he is still a member of Parliament and has been for some months. He did not retire. He did not resign. He is still receiving a salary.

I am very happy to submit for your consideration the documentation I have in hand.

We also know that the House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Second Edition, states:

Misleading a Minister or a Member has also been considered a form of obstruction and thus a prima facie breach of privilege.

Also, at page 141 of the 19th edition of Erskine May, Parliamentary Practice, it states:

Conspiracy to deceive either House or any committees of either House will also be treated as a breach of privilege.

It is of some historical moment and some sense of irony that as this place begins to shut down, a Liberal member stood in this place and said what he did. There is much that divides us here, there are a few things that unite us, and one of the things that unite us is to try our level best, regardless of partisan interests, to maintain the respect and dignity of this place. When members come before us, when members take their place, and knowingly mislead the House, it is the obligation of all members to call that member of Parliament to account.

We listened very carefully to the words of the member from Montreal, who told us last spring he was resigning, then did not. He then returned the same day of your ruling to give an impassioned, and sometimes somewhat coherent speech, as to why he could not have been here, that other work took him away, and yet he still received his pay. He still received the benefits of being a member of Parliament, despite the fact he never showed up for a day of work.

Most Canadians who were watching that were offended. They will be further offended if they find out that in the argument for and justification of that absence, the member then misled the House by suggesting that he had not received his pay, and yet we found from the House of Commons administration itself that that is not a possibility. He is entitled to his own opinions and his own so-called work ethic, but he is not entitled to his own facts. The facts of this matter are clear.

We present this to you humbly, on the last day this House convenes, so that you may in fact find a prima facie case, in which case we will move the privilege motion, accordingly, with great enthusiasm.

Member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-MichelPrivilegeGovernment Orders

3:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

I thank the hon. member for Skeena—Bulkley Valley for raising this question of privilege, which I will consider, examine the situation and the record, and come back to the House on it in due course, obviously in West Block when we meet there.

Member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-MichelPrivilegeGovernment Orders

3:40 p.m.

NDP

Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet NDP Hochelaga, QC

Mr. Speaker, I said this yesterday at 6 p.m., but there were not many people in the House then.

I would once again like to thank all those who work with us and who make us look so good in the House: security guards, the people who make good food for us every day, the people at the table, and, of course, you, Mr. Speaker, and everyone who works with you, as well as the pages. I would also like to thank my colleagues of all stripes for their work. I do not mean to forget anyone, but I am sure I have.

Happy holidays to all. Take care and get some rest.

Member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-MichelPrivilegeGovernment Orders

3:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

I thank the member for Hochelaga.

Before I go to the hon. member for Grande Prairie—Mackenzie, let me make sure that we do not forget the folks who have been working hard to prepare the West Block and who will working on this building, and also those who will be doing the move, which will be a big job over the next number of weeks.

The hon. member for Grande Prairie—Mackenzie.

Member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-MichelPrivilegeGovernment Orders

3:40 p.m.

Conservative

Chris Warkentin Conservative Grande Prairie—Mackenzie, AB

Mr. Speaker, I want to ask that you will indulge us when we return to this place, or to the next place, to return to the question of privilege brought by the member for Skeena—Bulkley Valley. We appreciate his well-documented research. We support what he said. We would request the right to come back and to add to that. All members of Parliament should be concerned about what has been drawn to our attention through these words. They are very serious allegations. We believe there is a possibility we may need to add to them.

Member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-MichelPrivilegeGovernment Orders

3:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

I see no problem with that. Of course, we expect it to be done in short order after the House resumes in the new location.

It being 3:42 p.m., pursuant to order made earlier today the sitting is suspended to the call of the Chair for the sole purpose of royal assent.

Best wishes to all and thanks especially to all the people who look after us and do such a great job in this place, especially these guys.

(The sitting of the House was suspended at 3:42 p.m.)

(The House resumed at 4:43 p.m.)

A message was delivered by the Black Rod as follows:

Mr. Speaker, Her Excellency the Governor General desires the immediate attendance of this honourable House in the chamber of the Senate.

Accordingly, the Speaker with the House went up to the Senate chamber.

And being returned to the Commons chamber:

4:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

I have the honour to inform the House that, when the House went up to the Senate chamber, Her Excellency the Governor General was pleased to give, in Her Majesty's name, the royal assent to the following bills:

Bill C-47, An Act to amend the Export and Import Permits Act and the Criminal Code (amendments permitting the accession to the Arms Trade Treaty and other amendments)—Chapter No. 26.

Bill C-86, A second Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on February 27, 2018 and other measures—Chapter No. 27.

Bill C-90, An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019—Chapter No. 28.

Bill C-51, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Department of Justice Act and to make consequential amendments to another Act—Chapter No. 29.

Bill C-21, An Act to amend the Customs Act—Chapter No. 30.

Bill C-76, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act and other acts and to make certain consequential amendments—Chapter No. 31.

We are now about to leave this beautiful chamber and this magnificent edifice, this building that means so much to all of us and to all Canadians. Long may it stand.

Pursuant to an order made earlier this day, the House stands adjourned until Monday, January 28, 2019, at 11 a.m. pursuant to Standing Orders 28(2) and 24(1).

(The House adjourned at 5 p.m.)