Evidence of meeting #1 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was amendment.
A recording is available from Parliament.
11:10 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
—and it's not the desire of the committee to deal with that. We'll deal with your motion on the specific item.
11:10 a.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Not to argue, Mr. Chairman, but what has been happening is a pattern, a motif, throughout Parliament Hill, in that at every committee the Conservatives have come with changes to every single one of these motions. The last meeting I was at—I was sitting at the agriculture committee—it took an hour and a half to agonize through what are routine motions in every new session of every Parliament.
11:10 a.m.
NDP
11:10 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
I think I'm going to respect that all honourable members will deal with matters in a parliamentary fashion.
Can we deal with the first motion? The first motion deals with the analyst.
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
I'll move the analyst one.
(Motion agreed to) [See Minutes of Proceedings]
11:10 a.m.
Liberal
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
I so move.
(Motion agreed to) [See Minutes of Proceedings]
11:10 a.m.
Liberal
Charles Hubbard Liberal Miramichi, NB
On the debate, Mr. Chair, I have some difficulty with the questioning. The first round certainly would be acceptable, but for example on the government side we have five members. If we accept the pattern that's suggested, at least three of those members would sit there patiently while some members have two or more interventions. I think that's unfair. Certain members would have two or three times to question a witness while others would not be able to participate. I would suggest that the five-minute round be done by members rather than by party. That would be fair to all members of the committee, including our own party.
11:15 a.m.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Personally, I have never understood how the list of questioners worked. A seven-minute round is fine. There is first the Liberal Party, then the Bloc Québécois, then the NDP, and then the Conservative Party. I think it is good that speaking time is awarded by party, not by member.
11:15 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
Excuse me, Ms. Lavallée, we do not have any interpretation into English.
Please begin again if you would.
11:15 a.m.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
I do not think the current speaking order is working very well. We tried it...
Even the interpretation is not working.
11:15 a.m.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
The interpretation from English into French is working.
11:15 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
French to English is not working.
Unfortunately, a technician has to come to make the repairs.
11:15 a.m.
Conservative
David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
Can I ask a brief question, not over this but another matter?
11:15 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
Unfortunately, when there aren't both official languages, we don't exist.
We're going to suspend until the matter is corrected.
11:20 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
We're reconvened. We are dealing with Mr. Hubbard's issue with regard to the questioning of witnesses.
I believe, Mr. Hubbard, you completed your comments.