Bob Ringma

[Points Of Order, September 27th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, you may be relieved to know this is a point of order on a different subject. You may not be too relieved.

The point of order is under Beauchesne's citation 317(2) which calls for an interpretation of the rules of procedures to be decided on by the Speaker.

The rule in question is Beauchesne's citation 765(3) which specifies that membership in committees is in the same proportion to membership of political parties in this House. Under this the Bloc Quebecois and Reform should each have three members on the public affairs committee.

I hasten to add that I am not seeking the Speaker's intercession on a matter rising in committee which would be contrary to Beauchesne's citation 168(7). What I am seeking is for the Speaker to uphold the rules of this House, specifically Beauchesne's citation 765(3). If others are allowed to ignore the rules or put an erroneous interpretation on them, which is the case here, then it makes a mockery of Beauchesne's and a mockery of this House.

I tried without success to get the two other whips and the committee on procedure and House affairs to act on Beauchesne's citation 765(3). The stand taken by both is that the chair of the public accounts committee constitutes a separate committee position. Therefore the Bloc Quebecois should have four positions including the chair as opposed to the Reform's three.

We contend that this is an erroneous assumption as Beauchesne's 781 calls only for the chair to go to the opposition, not the official opposition. We would also cite Standing Order 106(2) which is silent on who fills the chair.

Since I have been unable to redress this grievance in committee or with the whips, I ask for the Speaker to uphold the rules of the House, specifically Beauchesne's 765(3), perhaps by using Beauchesne's 764 to communicate with the committee.

[Excise Tax Act, September 25th, 1995]

Agreed.

[Manganese Based Fuel Additives Act, September 25th, 1995]

Agreed.

[Excise Tax Act, September 25th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, Reform Party members, as I read them, will vote no to that measure. If there are exceptions they will stand.

[Corrections And Conditional Release Act, September 25th, 1995]

Yes, we can accept a reversal on that, Mr. Speaker, except for anyone who might wish to do the contrary. They will stand.

[Corrections And Conditional Release Act, September 25th, 1995]

The Reform Party will vote yes on that except for any members who might wish to stand to the contrary.

[Corrections And Conditional Release Act, September 25th, 1995]

Agreed.

[Corrections And Conditional Release Act, September 25th, 1995]

Agreed.

[Corrections And Conditional Release Act, September 25th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I understand that most of my colleagues will go along with this. That is their intention. If there are any exceptions I will expect them to rise.

[Petitions, September 25th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition almost entirely from the city of Duncan in the riding of Nanaimo-Cowichan dealing with the citizens' concern about sexual predators, methods of sentencing, the justice system and the Young Offenders Act. They are asking the House to enact legislation to reform the justice system and the Corrections and Conditional Release Act.