[English]
EVIDENCE
[Recorded by Electronic Apparatus]
Wednesday, March 24, 1999
• 1639
[English]
The Chair (Mr. John Maloney (Erie—Lincoln, Lib.)): I'd like to convene the meeting on the clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-251.
I spoke with Ms. Guarnieri, the sponsor of the bill, and she has a response to various testimonies, which she's filed with various members of the committee and with the committee.
Ms. Guarnieri, do you have a brief comment on that? As a courtesy to you, go ahead, just very briefly though.
• 1640
Ms. Albina Guarnieri (Mississauga East, Lib.): As agreed, Mr. Chair, I'd like to submit the response to testimony received by the committee. I'd also like to resubmit letters of support. I have three letters from provincial governments; the provincial governments of Ontario, Alberta, and Manitoba all support my bill in principle. I have letters from every major victims' group in the country. I have letters from individual victims. I have letters from the CPA, the Chiefs of Police, the Police Services Board, and a number of police chiefs and police officers from across the country. And lastly I'm also submitting letters from academic and legal sources. So I'd like to submit them.
The Chair: Thank you. We'll take them.
At this time I'd like to move to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-251. I hope you all have copies of the act before you.
(Clause 1 negatived)
(On clause 2)
Mr. John McKay (Scarborough East, Lib.): I have a point of clarification. The first time I heard the word “negatived” was last night.
An hon. member: You were negatived last night.
Mr. John McKay: And, for the life of me, I don't know what the difference is between “negatived” and “defeated”.
The Chair: It's defeated then.
Mr. John McKay: Is it the same?
The Chair: Yes.
Mr. John McKay: I wasn't sure whether the Speaker was using it—
The Chair: It is the same.
Mr. John McKay: It is the same?
The Chair: Yes.
(Clause 2 negatived)
The Chair: Shall the title carry?
An hon. member: Sure.
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
The Chair: Then the answer is no?
Some hon. members: No.
The Chair: Shall the bill carry?
Some hon. members: No.
The Chair: Shall I report the bill to the House? The report will be that the bill will not be proceeded with, in accordance with the votes we've taken here today.
Mr. Mancini.
Mr. Peter Mancini (Sydney—Victoria, NDP): The question is in favour of reporting to the House the results of the committee?
The Chair: Yes.
Mr. Peter Mancini: Okay.
Mr. Jacques Saada (Brossard—La Prairie, Lib.): If we have to report the bill, what is the point of voting on whether or not we want to report the bill? That's what I don't understand.
An hon. member: That's a good question.
The Chair: You're instructing me to report back to the House that the bill has been defeated, very simply.
Mr. Reg Alcock (Winnipeg South, Lib.): But the question was, if it's not optional, why do we have to pass a motion?
The Chair: Mr. Clerk, can you assist our committee?
• 1645
The Clerk of the Committee: As the chair mentioned, it's empowering the chair to report the bill to the House on behalf of the committee.
The Chair: All right, the matter is concluded then.
Perhaps we'll take a break for two or three minutes and move into an in camera discussion of impaired driving.
Thank you very much for your attendance.
[Proceedings continue in camera]