Evidence of meeting #1 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was motions.
A recording is available from Parliament.
11:10 a.m.
The Clerk of the Committee Mrs. Angela Crandall
I see that there is a quorum.
We can now proceed to the election of the chair. I'm ready to receive motions to that effect.
Mr. Goldring.
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
11:10 a.m.
The Clerk
Are there any other nominations?
All in favour?
(Motion agreed to)
11:10 a.m.
The Clerk
Mr. Sorenson is elected chair.
Is it the will of the committee to elect the vice-chairs at this moment? I'm ready to receive nominations for vice-chair.
Mr. Martin.
11:10 a.m.
The Clerk
Are there any other nominations? The motion is that Mr. Wilfert be elected first vice-chair for the official opposition.
(Motion agreed to)
11:10 a.m.
The Clerk
Are there nominations for the second vice-chair from another party of the opposition?
Madame St-Hilaire.
11:10 a.m.
Bloc
11:10 a.m.
The Clerk
Are there any other nominations?
Everyone in favour?
(Motion agreed to)
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Thank you, colleagues, and again, welcome back. For some it is a welcome to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development meeting number one.
According to the orders of the day, we have elected the chair and the two vice-chairs, and certainly I would congratulate those vice-chairs. It will be good to work with you, and we welcome all of you back.
We have a number of new members, and a special welcome to Mr. Dewar and Madame St-Hilaire. Mr. Martin is back and Mr. Chan, and Mr. Lebel, I think, will be joining us here later on.
We want to continue with the routine motions. I think they have been circulated. We may want to take a look at a couple of these that may change. In the last parliament we had meeting days that were back to back, and some of the routine motions we passed originally were passed because of the back-to-back dates. So please have a look at those, and I'll just check with the clerk.
The best way perhaps is to just go through the order here, and we'll look at the first one, the subcommittee on agenda. This is the steering committee. The motion is:
That the Chair, the two Vice-Chairs, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the member from the New Democratic Party do compose the Sub-Committee on Agenda and Procedure.
It's better known as the steering committee.
Does anyone have any comment? Would someone like to move it, if there's no problem with the makeup of that committee?
Madame Barbot.
11:10 a.m.
Bloc
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
This now becomes the vice-chair's position. According to this motion, Madame Barbot, you would be the person nominated to the steering committee.
Let me say that if Madame Lalonde is able to return, however you work that out within your party is acceptable. We've had cases in the past when the NDP had one member and if that member was unable to attend, they would have a representative there. So that would be acceptable.
Mr. Khan.
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
Wajid Khan Conservative Mississauga—Streetsville, ON
Are we talking about the subcommittee on agenda and procedure?
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
Wajid Khan Conservative Mississauga—Streetsville, ON
I propose we add more members to make it more productive, a second member from the Liberals and two from the government.
11:10 a.m.
Liberal
Keith Martin Liberal Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC
These are well-established routine motions, hence the word “routine” in front of them. I don't think there's any need actually, with all due respect to Mr. Khan, to change what we have here. It has worked well for many, many years. Every party is represented and everybody has a say. It's worked very collegially and in a consensual way.
As the previous chair of the committee, you operated in that way, Mr. Sorenson. I think all of us on the opposition, as well as in the government, were all treated very fairly and it worked quite well. So I would submit that. Why upset the apple cart?
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
To make it clear, although these are routine motions, these are also motions we want to put in place that would help our committee work well together. I think they're routine because they've been used, but they are also routine in this next parliament. If we were to change it, it doesn't mean that some of these cannot be changed.
Is there anyone else on the motion of the makeup of the subcommittee?
Mr. Patry.
11:15 a.m.
Liberal
Bernard Patry Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
I just want to point out to Mr. Khan that all the decisions of the steering committee need to be ratified by the main committee. That means it doesn't change anything if you're there or not. It's the main committee that's the boss.
11:15 a.m.
Conservative
Wajid Khan Conservative Mississauga—Streetsville, ON
I didn't follow that. Could you say that again, please?
11:15 a.m.
Liberal
Bernard Patry Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
All the decisions of the steering committee need to be ratified by the main committee. At that time it doesn't change anything.
11:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Are we in favour then of the subcommittee on agenda and procedure?
(Motion agreed to)
11:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
The next one deals with the research officers:
That the Committee retain the services of one or more analysts from the Parliamentary Information and Research Service of the Library of Parliament....
I think that's also agreed.
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
11:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Then we will invite them to the table. We have Mr. Lee and....
11:15 a.m.
Some hon. members
Hear, hear!
