Information & Ethics Committee on Feb. 4th, 2009

[Russ Hiebert, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

On a related but different topic, I noted that the last time this committee was constituted we actually set a limit on the number of minutes that witnesses could have for opening statements. That limit was ten minutes. I would propose that we amend the current motion to include the statement that--

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Order. We have not yet dealt with a motion with regard to witnesses' time allotments. We're dealing with the time for questions, not opening statements of witnesses. If you could hold that for a moment, I want to put the question on the Siksay amendment. I'm going to put that question now.

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Could you read it again, just for clarity?

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Effectively it is the motion that was adopted in the last Parliament. Is that the understanding of members? Okay.

(Amendment agreed to) [See Minutes of Proceedings]

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

I now put the question on the motion as amended.

(Motion as amended agreed to) [See Minutes of Proceedings]

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Do we have a motion on the witnesses?

Mr. Hiebert, as you recall, depending on what we were dealing with, we did make changes, depending on the subject matter. There is a straightforward one: that the witnesses be given no more than ten minutes for their opening statements and that additional information be deposited with the clerk of the committee. Is that the motion you wanted to move?

[Russ Hiebert, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC]

I move that motion.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

I think that's our boilerplate, although as all members know, should circumstance warrant, the committee can always amend that on an ad hoc basic.

Given that's the motion from the last Parliament, I'll put the question on that.

(Motion agreed to) [See Minutes of Proceedings]

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Of course the committee always can discuss further fine-tuning of our procedures to make sure that our work is done properly.

Now, as the members know, we meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30 to 5:30. It's not this room all the time; it depends, but the notices will confirm that to you. Our next meeting would be on the Monday. The clerk has graciously circulated a binder with a little historic background, etc.

I think what we did the last time around, and I think I'd like to do it again this time, would be at our next meeting—it's a two-hour meeting—I'd like the steering committee representatives to be there to kick around the various work options that we have and to make recommendations for consideration in the second hour of the meeting to share with the full committee, and to adopt some work. That's our first order of business for the committee, if we could do that. That would give the members until Monday at 3:30 to discuss among themselves what their preferences would be to the subject matter for study by the committee to be presented at the steering committee meeting; then from the steering committee meeting a verbal report to the full membership in the second hour of Monday's meeting to make recommendations and receive motions based on the input the steering committee would give. So if that's acceptable, we will do that.

There also is, I think, the supplementary estimates. All the parties I've talked to want to make sure we discharge our responsibilities in that regard.

I believe Mr. Clerk has asked you to please make the necessary inquiries to see how quickly we could have the necessary persons come so that we can discharge our responsibilities on the supplementaries, if that's acceptable to members. Hopefully, by then we will have made some decisions and be able to get matters brought forward.

I would commend the minutes of last Parliament's original meeting, where there was, I think, some very good argument with regard to issues related to privacy as well as to access. Actually, it was a coin flip, I think, but please look at that. All the members are generally aware, but I think it will be useful for us to get an order of business and to start work as quickly as we can so that we feel comfortable with the tools available to us and so that we can do good work on behalf of the Parliament of Canada.

Having said that, if there are no further items from members....

Mr. Dreeshen, you had something?

[Earl Dreeshen, Conservative, Red Deer, AB]

I have one question out of curiosity as a new member. During the questioning of witnesses, if there was a member from the Liberal Party or the NDP who felt they had already asked their question, could they give that additional question to the Conservative who had missed a turn? Is that part of the process?

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

The time slot is available to a member. I'm sure the member can use it or not use it.

[Earl Dreeshen, Conservative, Red Deer, AB]

I'm just wondering whether or not you can give it to somebody.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

I have seen that before, and I think we would deal with that on an ad hoc basis. If a member is prepared to give up their time to another member, I think that doesn't disrupt the equity we've put into this, to the extent that it does exist.

That's great. Thank you kindly, colleagues.

We're adjourned.