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Mr. Michael Barrett (Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, CPC)

Nov/24/21 3:45:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise for the first time in the 44th Parliament. Congratulations on your election as Speaker. It is a pleasure to join all of my colleagues here in the House. I have a point of order that I would like to raise. It is uncharacteristically short, based on my past interventions. It is with respect to the two questions of privilege raised yesterday regarding matters that were outstanding when Parliament was dissolved. This issue was of particular concern to the government House leader, so yesterday my House leader quoted page 81 of House of Commons Procedure and Practice, third edition: The House of Commons enjoys very wide latitude in maintaining its dignity and authority through the exercise of its contempt power. In other words, the House may consider any misconduct to be contempt and may deal with it accordingly. Instances of contempt in one Parliament may even be punished during another Parliament. This latter point was decided definitively by Mr. Speaker Jerome on November 9, 1978, at page 965 of the Debates, in relation to allegations concerning misleading information provided to the 29th Parliament being raised over four years into the 30th Parliament. The Chair cited page 161 of Erskine May: Parliamentary Practice, 19th edition: “a contempt committed against one parliament may be punished by another.” He then held, “The matter is obviously put to rest”. This principle was reaffirmed during the 32nd Parliament by Madam Speaker Sauvé on December 16, 1980, at page 5797 of the Debates, when she ruled on a question of privilege from one of my predecessors, Tom Cossitt, concerning his Order Paper question in the 30th Parliament. Though she did not find a prima facie case for other reasons, the Chair said, “At the outset, let me assure hon. members that a contempt against one Parliament may be raised and is punishable in another Parliament.” Finally, I want to offer a much more recent citation. On June 23, the chief opposition whip raised a point of order asking, among other things, what would happen to the questions of privileges we are now concerned with if the heavily rumoured election were to be called over the summer. Mr. Speaker, you answered him at page 9060 of the Debates: I just want to make sure that we got everything the way it should be and that the answer is correct. The points of privilege and the points of order will be carried over, and it will be up to the Speaker at the time to look at it and take all the information as it evolves and make a decision at that time. I recently came across an Italian proverb, and its English rendition is “The bird is known by his note and the man by his words”. I dare not try to offer it in Italian, Mr. Speaker. This House has confidence in you because you, sir, are an honourable man and we know that you are a man of your word. As my predecessor from many years ago, Mr. Cossitt, raised a point with the then Speaker trusting and knowing that it would be handled appropriately, I do the same today with you.

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Context: House Hansard - 3 - Nov/24/21

Mr. Michael Barrett (Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, CPC)

Nov/24/21 6:24:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to rise in the House. I appreciate being given the opportunity to give my speech today and again tomorrow. I will look at the glass half full in being able to be here in person after the nearly two years that this place was a shadow of what it should be for Canadians. The work of the House administration and the Speaker's staff was Herculean. They changed centuries of tradition to allow us to participate during times that we had never seen before and could not have foreseen. Through all of that, we were able to work as parliamentarians and serve our constituents and Canadians as we worked to bring life back to normal. Our health care workers have done incredible work. I am so proud to be from a riding in which the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit has the highest vaccination rate in the province of Ontario, reporting last week that more than 99% of residents had received their first dose and more than 96% had received two doses. Why did my neighbours and those in the community encourage and support each other to get vaccinated? So we could get life back to the way it was before. Of course, not everything can return to the way it was right away. We are still wearing our masks when we are close to each other indoors, we have to practise outstanding hand hygiene and we try to keep our distance. However, we have slowly seen the return, because of the steps that folks have taken to slow and stop the spread of COVID-19, of things starting to get back to normal. Public events, sporting events and team sports for our children have come back, and we are doing it safely. What we have done over the last couple of days here is represent Canadians in a safe and effective way. This is what we are looking to do. Folks in my community are struggling. They are struggling with the runaway cost of the living increases they are facing. They cannot afford a full tank of gas. They have to get half a tank, hoping that will get them through to payday. They cannot afford the regular food that they buy for their families because their dollars are just not going as far. They are very concerned about the price of propane. In rural areas where people are not heating with natural gas, propane prices are out of control. People are worried and they want to see their representatives ensuring that the government is doing everything in its power to get inflation under control, that the Government of Canada is being an outstanding steward of taxpayer dollars. We really need all hands on deck, all eyes on the prize to ensure that happens. I was so proud, as a Canadian and as a parliamentarian, to participate in the unanimous decision to take some of the steps that we took so we could continue to meet during this once-in-a-century pandemic that we were facing. However, the situation on the ground has changed. We now have followed the best medical advice, we are following the science and we are able to gather safely. What is regrettable to have seen as a parliamentarian and a Canadian is that the government has taken opportunity to use this pandemic to hide itself from scrutiny of the opposition, from the media and from Canadians. When members were not in the House, they were not facing the media on their way in or their way out. Ministers would be on the Hill, but not appearing in their seats in the chamber. The tools that we had to bring witnesses and ministers before parliamentary committees were interrupted too many times to count by technical difficulties. Now we do not need to subject ourselves to those interruptions, with rare exception. Should one of our colleagues, heaven forbid, contract COVID-19 or any other illness, we should return to the time-tested practice our system has used and pair. We talk about collaboration across the aisle, so let us pair with another member. When folks are recovering from an illness, we should not be asking them to dial in and vote from home. No. They should take the time to get well for themselves, their families and their constituents. The pairing mechanism would achieve exactly what the government has proposed. I look forward to having the opportunity to continue my remarks on this. I appreciate having had a few minutes to speak to it today. I will have more to say tomorrow, and I should note that I will be splitting my time with the hon. member for Calgary Nose Hill when I resume.

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Context: House Hansard - 3 - Nov/24/21

Mr. Michael Barrett

Nov/24/21 6:30:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. In a way that would not put any of my colleagues on the spot, I ask, as a gentle reminder to members on both sides of the House, that when they are not speaking, perhaps they could follow the best public health advice and wear their masks while they are seated.

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