Subcommittee on Food Safety Committee on March 25th, 2009

[The Clerk of the Committee, Mr. Andrew Chaplin]

Honourable members,

I see a quorum.

You should now proceed to the election of your chair.

I am ready to receive motions to that effect.

[Bev Shipley, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

I move that Larry Miller be chair of the subcommittee.

[The Clerk]

It has been moved by Mr. Shipley that Mr. Miller be elected chair of the subcommittee.

Are there any other motions?

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

I have a question on procedure, Mr. Clerk.

[The Clerk]

I have to inform members that as clerk of the subcommittee I can receive only motions for the election of the chair. The clerk cannot receive motions of any other nature and cannot entertain points of order nor participate in debate.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

I guess it doesn't matter. If you can't ask it, then you can't ask it.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

I wanted to know if you can be chair of two committees.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

I don't think so. Usually, we have another....

Okay, I'll try this. I'd like to nominate Bev Shipley as chair of the subcommittee.

[The Clerk]

It has been moved by Madam Bennett that Mr. Shipley be elected chair of the subcommittee.

Are there any other motions?

Mr. Shipley.

[Bev Shipley, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

I withdraw my name.

[The Clerk]

Am I to understand that only Mr. Miller's name stands?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Clerk]

Right.

The subcommittee has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the subcommittee to adopt the motion?

(Motion agreed to)

I declare the motion carried and Mr. Miller duly elected chair of the subcommittee.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Thank you, Mr. Clerk.

Thank you very much for your confidence.

In standing with normal procedures of the committee, our first order of business would be to elect two vice-chairs. I'd be open to nominations from the floor for vice-chairman.

Mr. Anderson.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

I nominate Mr. Bellavance.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

We have a motion by Mr. Anderson to nominate Mr. Bellavance.

Ms. Bennett.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

I'd like to nominate Wayne Easter.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

It is moved by Ms. Bennett to nominate Mr. Easter.

Mr. Bellavance.

[André Bellavance, Bloc, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Chair, I decline the nomination. I do not wish to be the first co-chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Okay.

I was just going to say that we should deal with first vice-chair, but since Mr. Bellavance has pulled his name, at this point, whatever comes out of this, if there are further nominations, the winner, if it came to an election, would be the first vice-chair and we'd go from there.

Are there any further nominations for first vice-chair?

I would entertain a motion that the nominations be closed.

Mr. Easter, I declare you first vice-chair.

I will now take nominations for second vice-chair.

Mr. Shipley.

[Bev Shipley, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

I think perhaps Mr. Bellavance wouldn't take first vice-chair, but he might take second vice-chair, and I would nominate him.

[André Bellavance, Bloc, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Okay. It's moved by Mr. Shipley that Mr. Bellavance be nominated for second vice-chair.

Are there further nominations?

I declare the nominations closed.

Mr. Bellavance accepts. Congratulations.

We have a motion, which I presume everyone has in front of them.

Is that right, Mr. Clerk?

[The Clerk]

It has been distributed, sir.