Fisheries Committee on Nov. 14th, 2007

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

Very good, no problem.

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

Now we're going back to Mr. Calkins.

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Wetaskiwin, AB]

Well, thank you, Mr. Chair.

I certainly listened with great interest to my colleagues as to what they proposed for areas of work for the committee. I thought I would add my two cents.

I agree there are a lot of issues out there. The one area I do disagree with, though, is that I think it wouldn't be in the committee's best interests to call witnesses to testify on a bill that's not even on the table of the House of Commons. I don't think that makes a whole lot of sense, given the fact that we don't know when the bill's going to come back, or if it's going to come back, and in what form it's going to come back. We would certainly, I think, just be adding an opportunity to lend confusion to a situation and not making very good use of the committee's time.

However, if and when that legislation comes, I certainly would expect that all members of the committee would want to move to that legislation as soon as possible.

I do have a recommendation, Mr. Chair. Earlier today we did pass a motion on the subcommittee on agenda and procedure. Perhaps what we should do is utilize that subcommittee. I know we don't often do that, or that hasn't often been the practice, but if there are a number of new members on the committee who would like to have an agenda set up, perhaps we should have this discussion in that subcommittee and bring back some recommendations to the committee for discussion.

If I can add my two cents, as a matter of preference, as a good Alberta farm boy who likes to go fishing I never like to leave any task undone. We did expend some time, effort, and money pursuing a small craft harbour study. I think it would be in the best interest of everybody if we were to bring some conclusion to that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

Thank you, Mr. Calkins.

Basically my purpose in throwing it out for discussion there is just to get some feedback from committee members. My plan was to suggest exactly what you have—that the subcommittee come together and discuss some issues and bring it back to the full committee. It was just to get some ideas, some flow of information. Hearing from the members is always a positive thing.

Is there any other discussion on that, on referring it back to the subcommittee to discuss some work that we can do as a committee from now until Christmas? That's our most important period of time for the present. Then we'll have time to plan what we'll do if we come back in late January or early February.

Is that okay with everybody? We have a fair number of things on the agenda now. Is anybody else aware of—?

As I said, we know who the subcommittee is made up of.

Go ahead, Mr. MacAulay.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Did you settle the meeting times?

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

That's next. We're just taking care of that right now.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Okay.

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

We're doing our best to keep ahead of you.

Now, as to meeting times, we've been given a rotational committee schedule. I don't know if everybody has this. It came to my office; I think everybody has it.

Basically our time slot for the committee is to meet from 3:30 to 5:30 on Mondays and on Wednesdays. Basically that's it. That's the schedule we've been given. It's 3:30 to 5:30 on Mondays and on Wednesdays.

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

Is that in this room?

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

I suppose it's in this room, unless otherwise.... It will be this room or wherever else, but they are our time slots. Most likely most of our meetings will be held here unless there's a....

It's 3:30 to 5:30 Mondays and Wednesdays.

Is there any discussion?

Go ahead, Mr. Matthews.

[Bill Matthews, Liberal, Random—Burin—St. George's, NL]

We've met Tuesday and Thursday mornings pretty much since I've been here.

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

Is that ten years?

[Bill Matthews, Liberal, Random—Burin—St. George's, NL]

It's a long time.

We have had rotations suggested before that put us at Mondays and Wednesdays, and we went and arranged to do it Tuesdays and Thursdays in this room. That would be my preference, but I'd be interested in hearing the views of my colleagues.

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

Go ahead, Mr. Calkins.

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Wetaskiwin, AB]

Mr. Chairman, I don't know that we were given any other options. I know the committee does have the ability to do this, but I hope it would be with the unanimous consent of all committee members, because unfortunately I do have another committee that I'm obligated to be on during the time slot that we moved to last time, which was Tuesdays and Thursdays from eleven to one, so I would be unavailable. I would certainly like to remain a member of this committee. I'd hate to be put in that position.

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

Go ahead, Mr. Blais.

[Raynald Blais, Bloc, Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC]

I understand Bill's concern regarding meeting times. However, if I remember correctly, the reason we sat Tuesday and Thursday mornings was to meet the needs of committee members who had long distances to travel.

For me, Monday and Wednesday afternoons cause a lot fewer problems than any other change. So I am in favour of the idea. Given what Blaine has just said, I would like to clarify that the committee can always sit in a room other than the one already reserved, but that finding available rooms might well be very difficult. However, if the room is already reserved for Monday and Wednesday afternoons, it will be much less complicated.

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

Is there any other discussion?

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

I can live with it.

I'm just thinking that Mr. Kamp has to come all the way from B.C. He could be a tired puppy on a Monday.

[Randy Kamp, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission, BC]

I'm always a tired puppy.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

We're trying to make it more acceptable for you, Mr. Kamp, so you will be rested and able to be more open to suggestions from the opposition.

[Randy Kamp, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission, BC]

I'm open to whatever.

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

We either go 3:30 to 5:30 on Mondays and Wednesdays, or we try to change it, and I guess that has to come from—I'm kind of getting a mixed message here, so I need to—

[Bill Matthews, Liberal, Random—Burin—St. George's, NL]

It has been changed before, so that's not an obstacle, but maybe we need to do what's in the best interest of the committee members, you know.

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

Mr. Stoffer.