Procedure and House Affairs committee  Well, yes, it could be that kind of thing. I think the Standing Orders are based on common law. You don't try to codify every instance of misbehaviour.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I think that the issue is to what extent we should rely on the Speaker to insist that colleagues extend a collegial courtesy to one another. There will always be ways to get around the rule stating that members cannot refer to another's absence or presence in the House. That is not part of a specific Standing Order.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Mr. Godin, I think that you are putting the emphasis on the location from which the person was sending the message—

Procedure and House Affairs committee  —whereas the Speaker is placing the emphasis on the people who receive the message.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  In that case, you are no longer in the House, as the Speaker has indicated. If you decide to move to the lobby or go up to the gallery to greet guests—

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Mr. Chairman, if I could, one of the reasons why the ruling was in certain ways equivocated is because it really isn't a question so much of the gadget, or whether there's a gadget used; it's a question of whether or not the courtesy has been infringed. That is where the difficulty is.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  That's all I had to say.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Or do both at the same time.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  You can go to questions, Mr. Chairman.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  No, not that I'm aware of.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  As do I.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I couldn't agree with you more. I've been fighting so long on other issues that I haven't paid enough attention to the ice huts. You are absolutely right, they are pretty grim.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I can tell you that during the period the House was prorogued—something that was unexpected—we took advantage of the extra time to organize briefing sessions with restaurant personnel—because there are a number of changes being made to the way food and meals are to be produced in the new building that has been built, and that is part of the long-term plan.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I will pursue the issue. I will look into this. I know this is something that you feel strongly about. Sometimes people think that special arrangements are being made for others, even though they do not have the same advantages. What they imagine to be true is not necessarily the case.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  We—