Geoff Regan

[Government Response to Petitions, May 14th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's responses to nine petitions.

[Supply, May 13th, 2003]

Madam Chair, I rise on a point of order. I think that although there are different rules tonight than there are other times, I am sure the rule of relevance still applies. I do not see the relevance at all to the comments of the hon. member this evening to the questions at hand.

I do not think he has mentioned the word health as far as I know or any topic related to health. I think it is time he do so, that he gets to the point of the evening, that he talks about health care and gets to his question, rather than wasting the time of the House and those of us who are here at nearly 11:30 at night with nonsense about procedure.

[Supply, May 13th, 2003]

Madam Chair, the hon. member knows full well what the rules are that were established by the committee that was struck. He is referring to when it began, but the point is, he knows the rules. He has been to other occasions like this before. He knows members are entitled to speak if they wish to. They can use their time as they wish.

He has had all kinds of time all evening to question the minister. She has answered him ad nauseam. He has questioned her ad nauseam all night long, but if he wants to have a process whereby he interrupts our speakers constantly and we interrupt his questions all night, I am more than happy to have that go on. But I implore you, Madam Chair, not to allow the same points of order to go on. In fact, it seems to me that you have been exceptionally patient in allowing him to raise the same point of order again and again when he has abused his rights and privileges in the House to rise on points of order.

Madam Chair, I implore you not to allow any more of these specious, waste of time points of order from this member anymore this evening.

[Supply, May 13th, 2003]

Madam Chair, I rise on a point of order. As I said earlier, the member knows the rules here. By now my hon. colleague across the way perhaps he has been here in the past for similar meetings of this sort in the House committee of the whole reviewing estimates. He knows full well the process and I am not sure why he wants to delay things this way or try to establish some bizarre precedent.

The fact of the matter is that he can use his time as he wishes, members on this side can do the same and he knows that. Members are entitled to speak during their time. If they wish to fill their time speaking, they may do so, expressing their views and their concerns about the issues at hand, or they can ask questions or do a mixture of both, as they wish.

He knows the rules. I do not know why he is trying to change the rules or set some bizarre precedent but he ought to let the thing go on and not delay it. If he wants to get back to having more questions and having a turn for his side again, then I would think he would want to show respect for members, listen to their points of view, and wait his turn.

[Supply, May 13th, 2003]

Madam Chair, I also rise on a point of order. I am afraid that my hon. friend's comments are quite inappropriate to suggest that someone is going on ad nauseam. He knows the rules in this place. He knows this a five hour period of time when the minister is here and there are all kinds of opportunities to ask the minister questions. She has been giving answers for several hours already and will be here for more than an hour.

I find his interjection at this point not very helpful. I find it entirely inappropriate and I think that he ought to show respect to members of the House and listen to the comments of my hon. colleague.

[Supply, May 13th, 2003]

Madam Chair, I rise on a point of order. I think we all understand very well that it is easy to pose a question but it might require a complex answer. It is easy to think the question is simple but members know full well that the details for which they are asking sometimes require more time for the answer. That is obvious.

[Committees of the House, May 13th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and I think you would find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That, in relation to the 2003 Conference of the Canadian Council of Public Accounts Committees, seven (7) members of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts be authorized to travel to Winnipeg, Manitoba, from September 14 to 16, 2003, and that the necessary staff do accompany the Committee.

[Business Of The House, May 13th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I understand there is agreement that when the House is in committee of the whole on the main estimates later this day, the 20 minute speaking times will be assigned to parties and that each respective party shall assign speaking times to one or more members in that 20 minute segment.

I believe you will find consent to make this an order, Mr. Speaker.

[John Savage, May 13th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, today my home province of Nova Scotia is a little darker, having this morning lost one of its truly bright lights.

Dr. John Savage, Officer of the Order or Canada, former mayor of the City of Dartmouth, former leader of the Liberal Party of Nova Scotia, former premier of Nova Scotia and a global humanitarian, died this morning after a heroic battle with cancer.

Dr. Savage dedicated his life to improving the lot of his fellow human beings. He led Nova Scotians into a radically different way of thinking about government. Fiscal prudence replaced patronage, planning replaced expediency and when it was time to leave politics he put his party's fortunes ahead of his own and turned his energy to the plight of Africa's poorest people.

To his many friends and family I offer my condolences and ask that they take some relief from the knowledge that John Savage was a truly great Canadian who left the world a better place than he found it. I say God speed to him.

[Questions on the Order Paper, May 13th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.