Debates of March 22nd, 2018

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I am sure what happened would have been a very innocent mistake. Generally speaking, the Speaker will look up and recognize the member who is going to be moving the motion. I would suggest that maybe there could be unanimous consent to allow the Speaker to do what the Speaker has been doing for the last 12 hours and recognize it. I think there might be some merit in that.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Anthony Rota]

I checked with the table.

The Minister of Finance was here when it started. He did, in fact, leave just about halfway through the motion. By rights he should have stayed through the whole thing. If it is okay with everyone, since the Minister of Canadian Heritage was in the room, we could put her name on there and just proceed.

However, the Chair is going to take it under advisement, and we are going to proceed with the vote.

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

Mr. Speaker, clearly there was a violation of the rules here, so I ask again for a reconsideration of your ruling on this issue. I would like some validation as to why we are in fact moving forward, based on the fact that the rules were violated.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, on this point of order, the member was here when the motion was moved, but the member left before the vote, so the motion should stand.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Anthony Rota]

If I may, this is a unique situation. We will check the precedence and come back to the House with an answer.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, on the same point of order, I think rather than proceed and continue with votes, we should pause and you can get advice from the clerks and find out exactly what we should be doing. We cannot proceed. We are not going to continue with more votes.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Anthony Rota]

Order. I realize that everyone is tired. It has been a long stretch, and these little glitches do happen. I have consulted the table officers, and they have advised me that they are looking into the matter, and they will come back to the House with an answer.

Right now we are going to proceed with Motion No. 93.

[Guy Caron, NDP, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on the same point of order, I would like to quickly remind you that I was here during the previous Parliament when a similar marathon of votes took place. There was some doubt at one point when the minister of finance at the time, Mr. Flaherty, was absent. However, the votes continued, because the government was allowed to designate another cabinet minister to move the motion.

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, York—Simcoe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. In fact, you referenced, during this marathon voting, an earlier review of the big green book. The difference is that this point of order was raised at the first possible instance, immediately in response to the motion, when the vote was concluded, and as a result, I think you have to hear all submissions on it, because it is properly before you at this time.

However, it also has a significant distinction from the earlier precedent spoken to, where the issue was not raised until a much later sitting. It was not raised at the time the incident occurred, so it did not satisfy that part of the test of being raised at the first possible instance. It was a very different situation from what we face here.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Anthony Rota]

I have heard what everyone has to say. We will stick with what we said earlier. We will proceed with the votes.

Concurrence in Vote 10—Department of the Environment

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

moved:

That Vote 10, in the amount of $150,160,323, under Department of the Environment—Grants and contributions, in the Interim Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019, be concurred in.

[Anthony Rota, Liberal, The Assistant Deputy Speaker]

The question is on Motion No. 93. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

No.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Anthony Rota]

All those in favour of the motion will please say yea.

[Some hon. members]

Yea.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Anthony Rota]

All those opposed will please say nay.

[Some hon. members]

Nay.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Anthony Rota]

In my opinion the yeas have it.

[Anthony Rota, Liberal, The Assistant Deputy Speaker]

And five or more members having risen:

(The House divided on Motion No. 93, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Vote #631

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Anthony Rota]

I declare Motion No. 93 carried.

[Stephen Fuhr, Liberal, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, if you were to review it, I think you would find that the member for Durham was not in his seat when you started to read the motion. A member of that stature, who has been in the House a long time, should know better. I would ask you to—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Anthony Rota]

I want to remind hon. members that a point of order refers to the Standing Orders, or what keeps us going here, not the debate that follows.

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Speaker, thank you for providing the opportunity to respond to that member. I am glad he appreciates my role in the House. I tried to bring that role to Kelowna—Lake Country, but he was not there.

Before the question was called, I was in my seat. In fact, that is the rule. Therefore, I will leave it to your discretion, Mr. Speaker.