Okay folks, listen up, I am going to give you an update about Bill C-291 the Unborn Victims of Crime Bill. Pay attention because it gets a bit convoluted.
Bill C-291 passed first reading and was referred to the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs (PROC), which in turn referred it to the sub-committee of Private Members' Business (SMEM).
On May 29th, the SMEM met to study a whole bunch of Private Members' Bills, including this one. They met in camera, which means there are no public minutes and no video. We have no idea what the members said to one another, and they are sworn to secrecy.
Today Leon Benoit, the Bill's sponsor, had a radio interview with Dave Rutherford on Calgary's CHQR. He said that he was informed yesterday (May 31st) that his bill was deemed non-votable by the SMEM sub-committee. He was not told why this bill was deemed non-votable, except that it had to do with a constitutional issue. But he doesn't know what section it would violate. He has no idea what's wrong with it.
Well here's an interesting fact: the Bill was drawn up by the House of Commons Legal team, who are experts in constitutional issues, didn't see anything wrong with it. And here's another interesting little tidbit: Mr. Benoit said in the radio interview that a bill can only be deemed non-votable if it clearly violates the constitution-- it has to be TOTALLY obvious, but apparently it wasn't obvious enough to the H of C legal team.
So now Leon Benoit has five sitting days to defend his Bill to the PROC committee to say why it should be votable, except he doesn't know what their objections are. This reeks of the Spanish Inquisition, when you were told you were accused of heresy, but you had no idea what you were defending yourself against.
So this meeting will be held on June 6th. Leon Benoit said Wednesday in the interview, but the House of Commons website lists it as Tuesday,
http://cmte.parl.gc.ca/cmte/CommitteeHome.aspx?Lang=1&PARLSES=391&JNT=0&SELID=e5_&COM=10465
unless they're having a special meeting, and Leon Benoit's Ottawa office told me Tuesday.
The Ottawa office told me that the meeting would be public.
Anyhow, I think this just reeks of the Spanish Inquisition. We the members of the public should be able to learn why a Bill is being deemed non-votable and what our elected representatives have to say about a bill when they speak out on it.
Mr. Benoit mentioned that the practice of having in camera meetings is a measure adopted by the previous Liberal government. It should be dropped completely. It's ridiculous that we can't know.
The radio interview can be found here, but you might have to sign up for the radio archives club, but it's worth it:
http://www.am770chqr.com/dynamic/dynamic_audiovault_process.asp?dt=20060601_11
In case I messed up, you're looking for the program on June 1st 11 AM with Dave Rutherford. I think it's worth the trouble. It also goes on to explain the bill.
