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.
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Okay. Are there any other comments on that?
Go ahead, Mr. Martin.
11:30 a.m.
Liberal
Keith Martin Liberal Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC
I think you should keep it as it is, because having the five minutes actually accomplishes what Mr. Goldring is doing, and it gives more people an opportunity to submit questions and more people around the committee table to have a chance to participate in questioning the witnesses. When we have the longer ones, fewer people therefore have an opportunity to actually ask questions. I think the way it is right now is much fairer than having the longer period of time.
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
Dean Allison Conservative Niagara West—Glanbrook, ON
He's referring in the first round to seven minutes.
11:30 a.m.
Liberal
Keith Martin Liberal Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC
I am too, because that ten minutes refers only to the minister. In subsequent non-ministerial meetings it's five minutes.
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
Dean Allison Conservative Niagara West—Glanbrook, ON
No. Through you, Mr. Chairman, it's five minutes for each round. Isn't that right?
11:30 a.m.
Liberal
Keith Martin Liberal Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC
I read here that it's ten minutes for ministers and five for any other witnesses who are non-ministers.
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
The first round with the minister is ten minutes.
Mr. Goldring, were you responding?
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
Peter Goldring Conservative Edmonton East, AB
Mr. Chairman, on the one-hour meetings that we've been having, my argument would be that it practically eliminates follow-up questioning. Seven minutes would allow more of an involvement and engagement for secondary and follow-up questioning.
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
That works if you do a split. Your point is correct in a split.
He's right. There is only one round in a one-hour meeting. You get one round, so in the seven minutes there, usually the Liberal Party will say they'll split among two or three people. We were doing that.
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
Peter Goldring Conservative Edmonton East, AB
I don't know how many times Mr. Chair has had to cut me off when I'm up here, just about ready with that first question.
11:30 a.m.
Liberal
Keith Martin Liberal Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC
We can split it anyway. We're splitting hairs here. Maybe you can settle this.
11:30 a.m.
Liberal
Bernard Patry Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
I disagree with the seven minutes. I think ten minutes is much fairer, in the sense that if you get seven minutes, you cannot split, because if you split, you're going to get seven minutes of questions and no answers. That's what happened with the minister. The minister at that time could lapse a long time, and there'll be no follow-up. If you get ten minutes, they split their questions, and you get one round by--
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
I think what Mr. Goldring is saying is that the ten minutes for the minister would stay, but for all other witnesses it would be seven minutes.
11:30 a.m.
Liberal
Bernard Patry Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
We want to change ten for seven minutes, but it's.... Your motion is--
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Do you mean you want ten for seven? You're saying that the five becomes seven and the ten remains the same--
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
Peter Goldring Conservative Edmonton East, AB
No, no, no. The ten becomes seven for the questioning of witnesses--
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
11:30 a.m.
Liberal
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
There was no amendment moved.
All in favour?
(Motion agreed to)
We will go with the status quo. That's good.
I want to thank the government side for giving us something to think about today with each one of these.
Now we have the fourth one, on witness expenses:
That, if requested, reasonable travel, accommodation, and living expenses be reimbursed to witnesses not exceeding....
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Distribution of documents:
That the Clerk of the Committee....
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Purchase of documents:
It was agreed--That the Clerk of the Committee be authorized to purchase documents for its use.
(Motion agreed to)
Working meals:
That the Clerk of the Committee be authorized to make the necessary arrangements to provide working meals for the Committee and its Subcommittees.
Because we meet from eleven until one, this is going to apply more. I'm glad I didn't put this on the front, as the first one we dealt with, because people might say you can tell what I'm interested in.
On this one, I would just like your input. Would you want meals, a light lunch, for all our committee meetings held from eleven until one? They then become working lunches. I have talked to other committee chairs and some have said yes.
As you remember, last year, I think it was Norman Doyle's committee--immigration--that met from eleven until one, and they always had some kind of a lunch so that at one o'clock members didn't have to run and get something.
I think it's the first time I can remember that our committee has been given that slot.
11:30 a.m.
An hon. member
How does it affect your budget?
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
How does it affect whose budget? It comes out of our operating budget, which we have already said we would pass.