Debate.
House of Commons Hansard #371 of the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was goods.
House of Commons Hansard #371 of the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was goods.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Refusal of Witness to Respond to Questions from Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security Members debate whether a witness's refusal to answer questions at the Public Safety committee regarding alleged involvement in Russian disinformation constitutes a breach of parliamentary privilege or contempt. Members express concern about accountability and the precedent set by the witness's actions, emphasizing the importance of witnesses answering questions before committees studying serious matters like Russian interference. 2600 words, 15 minutes.
National Strategy for Universal Eye Care Act First reading of Bill C-419. The bill establishes a national strategy for universal access to eye care, vision correction, and vision aids to improve equitable outcomes across Canada. 200 words.
International Trade Members debate a report urging government action on eradicating forced labour from Canadian supply chains and strengthening the import ban. Opposition parties criticize the Liberal government's inaction and broken promises, noting zero seizures compared to billions in the US. The government maintains commitment to introducing legislation by year-end, citing Bill S-211 as a step and blaming delays on Conservative tactics. Critics argue Bill S-211 is inadequate and call for stronger due diligence laws and accountability for Canadian firms. 25000 words, 3 hours.
Use of Props in the House—Speaker's Ruling The Speaker rules on wearing lapel pins, stating the test is whether they cause disorder. NDP members raise points of order questioning the ruling's clarity and application. 700 words.
Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs Members debate the government's refusal to comply with an order of the House to release unredacted documents on the $400 million SDTC fund to the RCMP. Conservatives demand compliance, citing contempt and corruption, and are blocking other business. Liberals argue the order raises concerns under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the issue should go to committee as the Speaker has said needs to happen. 10400 words, 1 hour in 2 segments: 1 2.
Cathay Wagantall Conservative Yorkton—Melville, SK
No, it is not debate. It is a comparison of his behaviour.
Mr. Speaker, you need to go back and look at whether this was done in the past, because it happened in the House where you made a different ruling on this same issue.
Naming of MemberOral Questions
The Speaker Greg Fergus
I thank the hon. member for Yorkton—Melville for raising this point of order. This point of order, as a matter of fact, was raised before the break to one of the assistant Speakers. There was a ruling that came out of it. Of course, members should not do indirectly what they cannot do directly. That was a ruling that came from this chair just very recently.
As members know, even when quoting from stories, members still have to ensure that they do not do indirectly what they cannot do directly. For example, and I will give this as an example to the hon. member, if members were to get up and cite a newspaper quotation that referred a member by name, even though it is in a quotation, members would have to use the name of the riding and not the name of the person.
The point that I am trying to make is that, even when quoting, members have to be careful that the language they use still falls within parliamentary standards.
I thank the hon. member for raising that point, and it gives me an opportunity to explain why we were trying to move on this way.
The House resumed from November 18 consideration of the motion, of the amendment and of the amendment to the amendment.
Indigenous and Northern AffairsCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings
The Speaker Greg Fergus
It being 3:50 p.m., the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division of the subamendment to the motion to concur in the second report of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs.
Call in the members.
(The House divided on the amendment to the amendment, which was agreed to on the following division:)
Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings
The Deputy Speaker Chris d'Entremont
I declare the subamendment carried.
The next question is on the amendment as amended.
If a member participating in person wishes the amendment as amended be carried or carried on division, or if a member of a recognized party participating in person wishes to request a recorded division, I would invite them to rise and indicate it to the Chair.
Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings
The Deputy Speaker Chris d'Entremont
I declare the amendment, as amended, carried.
The next question is on the main motion, as amended.
If a member participating in person wishes that the motion be carried or carried on division, or if a member of a recognized party participating in person wishes to request a recorded division, I would invite them to rise and indicate it to the Chair.
Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings
The Deputy Speaker Chris d'Entremont
I declare the motion, as amended, carried.
It is my duty pursuant to Standing Order 38 to inform the House that the questions to be raised tonight at the time of adjournment are as follows: the hon. member for Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, Correctional Service of Canada, and the hon. member for Kitchener Centre, Oil and Gas Industry.
The House resumed consideration of the motion.
International TradeCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings
The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Alexandra Mendes
The House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the previous question to the motion to concur in the 21st report of the Standing Committee on International Trade.
Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings
The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Alexandra Mendes
I declare the motion adopted.
The next question is on the motion for concurrence.
If a member participating in person wishes that the motion be carried or carried on division, or if a member of a recognized party participating in person wishes to request a recorded division, I would invite them to rise and indicate it to the Chair.
Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Madam Speaker, I request a recorded division.
Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings
The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Alexandra Mendes
I declare the motion carried.
I wish to inform the House that because of the deferred recorded divisions, Government Orders will be extended by 62 minutes.
Message from the SenateRoutine Proceedings
The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Alexandra Mendes
I have the honour to inform the House that a message has been received from the Senate informing this House that the Senate has passed the following bill to which the concurrence of the House is desired: Bill S-276, An Act respecting Ukrainian Heritage Month.
The House resumed consideration of the motion and of the amendment.
Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsPrivilegeOrders of the Day
Liberal
Wayne Long Liberal Saint John—Rothesay, NB
Madam Speaker, I certainly want to thank and acknowledge my good friend across the House on his speech, although he must have drawn the short straw to have to get up and do that for 10 minutes.
However, I do have a question for him with respect to what the commissioner of the RCMP said. He said that:
the RCMP's ability to receive and use information obtained through this production order and under the compulsory powers afforded by the Auditor General Act in the course of a criminal investigation could give rise to concerns under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It is therefore highly unlikely that any information obtained by the RCMP under the Motion where privacy interests exists could be used to support a criminal prosecution or further a criminal investigation... There is significant risk that the Motion could be interpreted as a circumvention of normal investigative processes and Charter protections.
I know my friend opposite knows that what is happening in the House right now is a debacle; it is a waste of all of our time. We come up here to do good things for our ridings. I would like my friend opposite to respond to that quote.
Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsPrivilegeOrders of the Day
Conservative
Pat Kelly Conservative Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB
Madam Speaker, I thank my friend, and indeed the member for Saint John—Rothesay is my friend.
The member asked me to comment on the commissioner's views. I disagree with the commissioner, but that is not the point. The time to have made that argument was back in June when we voted on the motion. This is no longer a debate about whether the House should request the documents; the House has requested the documents, and so complying with the order of the House is what this government has failed to do.
I do not agree with the member that this is a debacle; only to the extent that, yes, the House is paralyzed because the government will not table the documents. However, there are several remedies available to the government. The first remedy, and the most important one, would be to call an election. If this place is not functional, we need to elect a new government that can earnestly deal with the important problems facing this country. I think this member is well on the record agreeing that the Prime Minister ought to step down and call an election.
Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsPrivilegeOrders of the Day
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
Madam Speaker, we are talking about close to $400 million that was corruptly spent by at least nine directors that the Auditor General identified as having participated in at least 186 corrupt decisions out of a sample size of about 400 that were looked at. I am wondering if my colleague could perhaps describe what we could have done with the close to $400 million that was corruptly spent. Could we have cut taxes? Could we have reduced the national debt? Could we have put it towards other uses that his constituents would like to see?
