Debates of Oct. 7th, 2024

Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Grande Prairie—Mackenzie, AB]

Madam Speaker, the hon. member talked about the F-35 jets. He claimed that was a scandal because a fund was put forward to study whether it would be the right jet for our Canadian men and women in uniform. The NDP and the Liberals ran election campaigns calling it a scandal, saying that this jet should not be chosen by the Canadian military and our air force. What happened? After the Liberals starved the air force of resources for years, guess which jet they finally purchased. It was the F-35 jet. It gets better. Who supported them in that purchase? It was the NDP. This was so scandalous that the NDP got on board with the Liberals to make the purchase a decade late.

[Eric Duncan, Conservative, Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON]

Madam Speaker, I am proud to rise on behalf of the people of Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry as a Conservative member to speak to the paralysis in which we have found ourselves in the House of Commons over the course of the last week.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Eric Duncan, Conservative, Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON]

Madam Speaker, I am about 15 seconds into my speech talking about a $400-million corruption scandal, and the New Democrats are bursting out laughing already. This is—

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

Madam Speaker, on a point of order, I am shocked that 15 seconds into the member's speech, he is launching vicious personal attacks. I would ask him to withdraw them. If he heard any laughter, it was about the insincerity.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

That is clearly debate, but let us try not to throw accusations at one another.

The hon. member for Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry.

[Eric Duncan, Conservative, Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON]

Madam Speaker, the Liberals refusing to provide the RCMP with full access to the documents on their $400-million green slush fund is funny to the New Democrats and the Liberals. They are laughing and mocking it, a further slap in the face to Canadians.

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Wetaskiwin, AB]

Madam Speaker, on a point of order, I am not sure we have quorum.

And the count having been taken:

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

We do not have quorum. The sitting is suspended to the call of the Chair.

(The sitting of the House was suspended at 5:48 p.m.)

(The House resumed at 5:49 p.m.)

Sitting Resumed

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

We now have quorum.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Madam Speaker, on a point of order, does there have to be more than one member in the House from the Conservative Party to have quorum?

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

That is not a point of order. The hon. member should know that we cannot do indirectly what we cannot do directly.

The hon. member for Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry.

[Eric Duncan, Conservative, Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON]

Madam Speaker, the NDP and the Liberals, in addition to their laughing, mocking and heckling again 10 seconds into my speech, are desperate to break up the Conservatives' ability to stand and remind Canadians that here we are—

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Madam Speaker, on a point of order, the member accused us of trying to break up his speech when it was the Conservatives who ran like rats out of the chamber to have a quorum call.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

I would invite the hon. parliamentary secretary to avoid the expression he used and retract it.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

I apologize for calling the Conservatives rats, Madam Speaker, and withdraw it.

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Madam Speaker, on a point of order, a Conservative on this side uttered one or two words during some heckles and was shut down quickly. We are hearing a lot of heckles. I would ask that the rules be applied evenly.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

We try to apply the rules equally as much as humanly possible.

The hon. member for Timmins—James Bay has a point of order.

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

Madam Speaker, I am concerned, because when the hon. member began his speech, he made a false claim that the people I represent and the New Democrats were laughing about a serious issue. What we were laughing at was that his own party—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

We are not going to start that debate again.

We are going to allow the hon. member for Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry to conclude his speech.

[Eric Duncan, Conservative, Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON]

Madam Speaker, I will conclude the speech that I was literally 15 seconds into before several Liberal and NDP MPs started laughing, heckling and mocking the very serious subject for which we are here.

To go back, in the points of order by the member for Timmins—James Bay, he notes his constituents. I find it very interesting that after many years of service, he became so out of touch with his constituents, because he never goes to his riding of Timmins—James Bay, that he decided to retire—

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

On a point of order, Madam Speaker, that is just so cheap. After 20 years of service, do I have to put up with this guy? Could you ask him to withdraw and apologize? I come here to do—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

I would invite the member to withdraw comments referencing the member's presence in his riding.

The hon. member for New Westminster—Burnaby.