I have obtained an excerpt of the testmiony of The House Procedures and Affairs Committee meeting that incurred the sub-committee report deeming C-291 unvotable. Here are some of the exchanges that took place.
Mr. Leon Benoit (Vegreville—Wainwright): Thank you very much, Mr. Chair and thanks to all of you for giving me this opportunity to present my case on my private members' bill, Bill C-291.
I do have a presentation. It will probably take 20 minutes. I will look forward to your questions at that time. I will also be introducing Mary Talbot to you who's sitting behind me here today. She's here because in fact, it was her situation that really brought this issue to my attention. I think what she says is important in the consideration of this private members' bill.
I have to admit I was somewhat surprised when I was told the subcommittee that my private members' bill had been deemed.
Á (1110) Mr. Marcel Proulx: Mr. Chairman, point of order. I think I missed something to start with. I have no objection that Mr. Benoit, as a Member of Parliament be in front of this committee to plead his appeal, if I can call it this way. But would you please refer me to the Standing Orders to tell me where it says that he can independent witnesses with him to plead his case.
My understanding and correct me if I'm wrong, sir, is that a Member of Parliament can come and testify in front of this committee and debate his rights. But from that to take to bringing one or two, it doesn't matter how many, it could be only one witness, I don't recall seeing that in the Standing Orders.
The Chair: My understanding is you cannot testify unless the committee agrees.
Mr. Marcel Proulx: You would need unanimous consent of the committee.
The Chair: That is my understanding.
Mr. Marcel Proulx: Thank you. I apologize.
The Chair: Mr. Benoit, please continue.
Mr. Leon Benoit: Thank you, Mr. Chair. As I started to say, I was somewhat surprised when I heard from the committee that my bill was not votable. ...
...I would like, if the committee would agree, to just allow Mary Talbot two to three minutes to just let you know what this means to her. I'd like to do that at this time, if possible.
Mr. Marcel Proulx: On a point of order.
The Chair: Yes, please.
Mr. Marcel Proulx: Before making a decision, Mr. Chair, on the pertinence of hearing the witness, may we know what the expertise, or what the line of testimony from this witness would be all about? Is she a Charter expert? Is she a medical expert? Is she a law expert? Why are we considering listening to this witness? With all due respect, I would like to know why we would listen to a witness in this particular case, Mr. Chair.
The Chair: Mr. Benoit, do you have any answers to those questions?
Mr. Leon Benoit: Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair. She provides none of the expertise that the member has asked about. What she does provide is obvious first-hand expertise as to the importance of changing the law to protect the pregnant mother and the unborn child.
The Chair: Mr. Reid, did you have a comment?
Mr. Scott Reid (Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, CPC): Not a comment. I would be prepared to move the appropriate motion to allow—
The Chair: Let's continue just for one second. Yes, please.
Ms. Jean Crowder (Nanaimo—Cowichan): I have a point of order on this. My understanding is that the reasons that an issue would be considered or not considered are technical, whether they fall under one of those four points. So I take Mr. Proulx' point that the argument today before us is whether or not something meets within those four criteria or not. That's what we are here to hear from the witness and to discuss. So I would argue that unless there is something within those four points that's relevant....
The Chair: Even more simplistically than that, we are simply to concur the report of the subcommittee, whose decision has been made already with respect to those four technical criteria.
Mr. Reid, would you like to make a motion? Mr. Scott Reid: I'm sure the motion would be to allow for Mrs. Talbot to make a presentation to us. That would be the motion. I wouldn't mind speaking to that, actually, but that would be the motion.
Mr. Leon Benoit: If I could, Mr. Chair. Most of my presentation will be dealing with the technical aspects that the members have rightfully referred to. I am just trying to stress, because my bill has been deemed non-votable, that this bill is extremely important to me. Any decision of this committee, in reviewing the decision of the subcommittee, should not be taken lightly. I'm trying to make that point as forcefully and as strongly as I can. Certainly having Mary Talbot, the mother of Olivia Talbot and the grandmother of baby Lane, could make that point in a couple of minutes, more strongly and more effectively than I could ever make it.
The Chair: Unless there are some pending issues, I think the committee has heard the answers to the questions that we need to hear. I would just simply pose the question to the committee: do we have unanimous consent that Mrs. Talbot give a two- to three-minute statement to the committee?
Some hon. members: No.
The Chair: Seeing that there is not unanimous consent, I will have to rule that Mrs. Talbot will not be allowed to make a statement to the committee.
Á (1120)
My source says: The Committee members were unable to look at Mrs. Talbot and the pictures of her daughter and preborn grandchild as they left the room.
