Evidence of meeting #14 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was systems.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rodney Weston
The Liaison Committee makes a recommendation to the House, and before the committee can travel we need to receive approval from the House.
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
Gerry Byrne Liberal Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL
Mr. Chair, I don't want to betray any confidences from an in camera session, but it has been my general understanding in my 14 years here that when chartered aircraft are used for travel.... I think the liaison committee's recommendation was based on an austerity measure in trying to limit or reduce costs associated with committee travel. It's my understanding we are going to be travelling using a chartered aircraft.
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
Gerry Byrne Liberal Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL
Now it has been cut back from 12 to eight. It has been my experience in the past that the incremental cost of having a full complement of committee members is no higher, relatively speaking. Obviously there are hotel and per diem charges, but the largest amount of the travel expenditure is actually for the charter aircraft, and if we were to go with a 12-member complement, the actual incremental savings of reducing to eight would be relatively non-existent.
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rodney Weston
In general your theory makes sense, Mr. Byrne.
I believe you have been supplied with a copy of a revised budget that takes into consideration eight members travelling. The cost has been reduced substantially by the reduction from 12 to eight members, and the rationale for that is that the number of aircraft required is the same, to be very frank with you, when you have 20 members as when you have 16--I shouldn't say members, but people--participating in the mission. It does reduce the number by about $21,000.
Go ahead, Mr. Calkins.
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
Blaine Calkins Conservative Wetaskiwin, AB
Mr. Chair, I'm concerned. I think this calls into question my privileges as a member of Parliament and as a member of this committee when the liaison committee decides, whether it's an austerity measure or whatever the case might be, to limit the capacity of the committee to travel as a whole to have our discussions.
I'm greatly concerned about that. I'm greatly concerned about the fact that while we reduced the number of members of Parliament who might be able to travel, we don't seem to have any mechanisms to reduce the number of accompanying staff. I know we do need certain staff to accompany us, but I sometimes wonder if we don't go overboard on that, and I've never, in the time that I've been here, heard any discussions as to why it takes eight staff to go with eight members when it takes eight staff to go with 12 members. It doesn't seem to add up to me. Could I get some clarification on that?
The other thing I would mention is that if this decision needs to be made right now, then we should probably work towards making a decision, because there are other things we need to do, and we're past our 5:30 time. If we could defer a decision and a discussion on this to the next meeting, that would please me greatly.
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rodney Weston
There's no decision required at this point in time. As I said, I was reporting back to you on my meeting with the Liaison Committee. There has been no approval on this trip at this point in time because we need to have secret approval from the House, but there is no decision required at this point in time.
Go ahead, Mr. Andrews.
5:35 p.m.
Liberal
Scott Andrews Liberal Avalon, NL
Just to echo what Mr. Calkins and Mr. Byrne said, according to my quick look-over of this budget, you're only saving $2,300 by cutting four people. I don't buy the part about the plane costs, because I think it's the same plane cost that was in the budget we saw last week. I wish I had last week's budget here.
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rodney Weston
There has been a reduction of $21,000 from last week's budget to this one. The reason is that we reduced the number of aircraft required to be chartered. I shouldn't say “the” reason, but that's the main reason.
If there is no further discussion, we'll continue with this on Wednesday, and possibly we will have heard from the House at that point in time.
The meeting is adjourned.