Debates of Dec. 4th, 2023

Consideration of Government Business No. 31

[Jeremy Patzer, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Madam Speaker, the only member in committee who was engaged in toxic behaviour was that member. He was warned multiple times—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

I am sorry, but this is becoming a point of debate. What is the point of order?

[Jeremy Patzer, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Madam Speaker, the point of order is that the only person who was engaging in toxic behaviour was that member right there. The fact that he has been subbed out of the committee for the last three meetings explains that he is the one who has been toxic. Last week, with the—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

I am sorry, but that is not a point of order. That is a point of debate.

The hon. member for Timmins—James Bay.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Madam Speaker, tonight you are seeing a tactic being used by the Conservatives to carry on the toxic behaviour of the committee to try to shut me down, but I will speak, and I would like to make sure that, every time they interrupt me or try to stop my work as a parliamentarian, I am recognized and that my time is not being taken away from me.

Right now we are dealing with a planet that is on fire. This summer, 200,000 Canadians were displaced from their homes because of an unprecedented climate catastrophe, which is unfolding in real time. Just last month, the world, for the first time, blew past the 2°C mark, which is a very dangerous zone to be in.

The Conservatives would have members believe that it is some kind of conspiracy or that this is somehow being cooked up to make Conservatives in the oil and gas sector look bad. These are the facts that Canadians are living with.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Madam Speaker, on a point of order, I wonder if the member opposite would table some empirical data to substantiate his comments.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

These are points of debate. I would ask hon. members to wait until it is the period for questions and comments to raise their points, which they feel are points of order, but that are actually debate.

The hon. member for Timmins—James Bay.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Madam Speaker, I will repeat my request. As I expect an evening of harassment, I request that the Speaker will insist that my rights are protected, so every time they stand up to do this, my time is not interrupted. I would like to make sure that is on the record.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

With respect to the member's time, the clock is stopped when another member rises on a point of order.

The hon. member for Timmins—James Bay.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Thank you, Madam Speaker. We are talking about a planet on fire in the face of—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

I would remind members that, if they want to contribute to the debate before the House, they should wait for the appropriate moment to do that.

The hon. member for Timmins—James Bay.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Madam Speaker, I am not surprised because the Conservatives can only push this agenda through harassment and conspiracy, so when we speak with facts, they will continue to interrupt.

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary Forest Lawn, AB]

Madam Speaker, on a point of order, the word “harassment” is a very strong word. If the member really feels that way, why does he not step out of the chamber and try using that word again? The word “harassment” is a very strong word.

I would encourage you, Madam Speaker, to look at whether that is actually being done inside this Parliament.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

I would remind members to please be careful with the words they use in the House. Obviously, this is a word that seems to be causing some disorder. There are words that we use in the House, and it is members on both sides of the House, that cause disorder. It is not necessarily that the word is not acceptable, but it depends on how it is used. I just want to remind members that, if it is causing disorder, they should avoid trying to use that word.

Resuming debate, the hon. member for Timmins—James Bay.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Madam Speaker, I was just told that I had to step out. Is that because he is going to fight me? Is that not causing disorder? This harassment is causing disorder. We should recognize that this is the kind of intimidation we are dealing with, so we can get back to the point.

[Greg McLean, Conservative, Calgary Centre, AB]

Madam Speaker, on a point of order, this is the House of Commons. We do not talk about physical violence in the House of Commons. Nobody has here. The fact that the member has brought it up, and said that somebody is threatening him physically, when nothing of the—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

Order. If anybody else wants to contribute to that, they should wait until the appropriate time, especially when one of their members has the floor.

The hon. member for Calgary Centre.

[Greg McLean, Conservative, Calgary Centre, AB]

Madam Speaker, I am asking you to make the member withdraw that remark because there was no threat of physical violence. It was for the member to try to make that statement outside of the House of Commons, where there is no parliamentary privilege accorded. This was from somebody who has no intention of any interaction of a physical nature whatsoever.

I would ask the member to withdraw that comment, please.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

I would remind hon. members to please reflect on what is being said in the House before making comments. I will go back to the hon. member to see if he would please withdraw his statement.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Madam Speaker, I do not have to step outside the House to speak the truth. I am in here to speak the truth. If they do not like that, that is not my problem. I have a right to speak in this House, and I will continue to speak no matter how much they interrupt.

Thank you for that, Madam Speaker.

I began by speaking about the climate crisis, which is—

[Greg McLean, Conservative, Calgary Centre, AB]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. You asked him to withdraw the comment about the physical violence that he suggested my colleague visited upon him here in this House of Commons.

I think everybody here in this House of Commons knows that did not occur. I would ask you to—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

I will ask again for the hon. member to withdraw the comment, which included the word “fight”.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Madam Speaker, I was asked to step out. Where I come from, when someone is asked to step outside, there is a common understanding—