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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 214

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 15, 2023 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 214 - Jun/15/23
The Speaker
  • Jun/15/23 4:03:11 p.m.
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Pursuant to order made on Tuesday, November 15, 2022, the government House leader's request to extend the said sitting is deemed adopted.
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Context: House Hansard - 214 - Jun/15/23
Hon. Mark Holland
  • Jun/15/23 4:34:14 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I agree with my colleague. A number of changes have been recommended, in some instances by all parties. He mentions the change requesting that committee chairs be present. That is a change that was made. There was a request by opposition parties that all questions in question period be answered by the government in person. That change was made, and we have the opportunity to continue to evaluate how these provisions work. However, to his point, when members say they are against hybrid sitting and then use it, it is hard to find them credible in that. If we say that a change in the Standing Orders should come from a unanimity of opinion, I think we can look at the past three years, including out of health circumstances, when members had every opportunity to be here. They use it, and it shows that they want it. If the members from the Conservative Party and the Bloc were serious in their opposition to this, then we would see them here for every single one of the votes; we would see them here in person for every question and every speech, and of course that is not the case. The case is that they are using it, and in the hallways they are saying, “This is great; this is life-changing. There was an important event; something happened in my family; I had to be there for my child; I had to be there for my spouse; I was able to do it, because of hybrid; it changed everything for me; I am so glad it is there.” Then, they walk in the chamber and say they are against it and it is wrong and an affront, and how terrible it is. It stretches believability.
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Context: House Hansard - 214 - Jun/15/23
Mr. Richard Cannings (South Okanagan—West Kootenay, NDP)
  • Jun/15/23 7:14:00 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Steveston—Richmond East for sharing his story. We both come from British Columbia. It is very difficult, as many members know, to travel back and forth every week, as we like to do, to our homes when we live in British Columbia. The member happens to live very close to an airport, so he is luckier than I am, but I was really interested to hear of his health issues and how he got through them. I think he touched on this in the answer to a previous question, but having this hybrid Parliament allowed him to represent his constituents while he was home in British Columbia rather than, as the Conservative member was suggesting, taking away someone else's right to vote as well as a better solution. I think sitting virtually is by far the best solution we have, and we should keep it.
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