MR. SPEAKER: Thank you very much. I would just like to remind all members, while we have a couple of seconds here, that member statements are one minute. I have been a little lenient today and the previous day on Member Statements. Tomorrow, we'll tighten it up a little bit.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please. I'd just like to remind all members that the clock on the wall is for my reference and for your reference. If somebody is in the middle of a question or an answer, I will reserve the right to be the judge of when to cut them off. (Applause)

THE SPEAKER: Before I recognize the honourable Government House Leader, we'll go into order for about 10 minutes. The computers have to be rebooted, so we'll just have to take a recess. So don't go far, is what I'm being told.

[5:18 p.m. The House recessed.]

[5:27 p.m. The House reconvened.]

THE SPEAKER: The rules say that no member shall speak more than 15 minutes. That's the rule of the House.

THE SPEAKER: Before we go any further, I just want to make a remark that so far there has been only one question that has stayed within the time limit. I will be cutting people off if it goes too long. I will allow a few seconds for a completion, and I'll call for a question. It's not only the questions. It's the responses, too. Please be conscious of the 45-second time limit.

THE SPEAKER: Thank you very much. We welcome all visitors to the Chamber.

Before we get into Question Period, I just wanted to stress that today there were numerous member statements that exceeded the time, so I'm going to ask once again - I've let it go this time because this is the first day, but from now on, please try to keep your member statements to 45 seconds. If I say 45 seconds, you might finish in a minute. (Laughter)

THE SPEAKER: Order, please. We have two other members from the Liberal caucus who wish to speak and with the unanimous consent of the House we'll provide that opportunity before we get into Oral Questions.

Is it agreed?

It is agreed.

...

THE SPEAKER: The time for Statements by Members has expired. I thank everyone for agreeing to extend the time for this occasion.

[Page 847]

ORDERS OF THE DAY

ORAL QUESTIONS PUT BY MEMBERS TO MINISTERS

THE SPEAKER: The time is 10:07 a.m. We'll go until 10:57 a.m.

THE SPEAKER: Before we go into the Orders of the Day, I want to just reference something. I kept track of how many - I mentioned earlier about trying to keep members' statements within a minute. I just want you to know that there were nine statements today that were over the minute. Please keep that in mind, because the longer you go on, it just makes it so another person can't make a statement. Please keep that in mind.

MR. SPEAKER: Just before we move on to the next member's statement, I want to remind all members that the time limit is one minute. Please adjust your statements accordingly.

HON. CHRISTOPHER D'ENTREMONT: I stand tonight on a point of privilege, Mr. Speaker. I regret to say that this government willingly impeded my ability to do my parliamentary duty. In this government's race to deny democracy and railroad Bill No. 75 back into this House, they denied my right to hear at least 75 per cent of those who sought to appear before the Standing Committee on Law Amendments.