Government Operations Committee on May 3rd, 2010

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Yes, in terms of the housekeeping of this committee, one thing we need to do is compile a budget for the study, because we don't have enough money to do this yet. We should task the clerk with bringing forward a budget, and then Wednesday we'll consider the budget--at least a preliminary budget--if everyone's in agreement with that.

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Okay, thank you.

Ms. Coady.

[Siobhan Coady, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

Thank you very much for the opportunity to move today.... I gave substantive notice of eight motions. They're all kind of the same motion, but they're mostly to do with getting the information. I'll move to a priority list if I could.

I'd like to move number 5, which talks about natural resources, both the former Minister of Natural Resources and the current Minister of Natural Resources producing all papers and records.

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Chair, I think with the concurrence of the committee...I get a sense that the committee does not have a problem with getting the documents that have been offered and made available to other parties. If it'll help the committee, the committee has the facility to deal with all eight motions as one motion, so that you can move on with your report.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

That's right. We can have them all moved together if there's unanimous consent to do that, with the understanding that these are all substantive motions and all can be amended. So if there's even a single one of them...a person may refuse to move them all in conjunction.

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

I understand.

[The Vice-Chair (Mr. Christ Warkentin), Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Just so that everyone understands, if people want to speak to or amend individual motions, then they should be moved individually.

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

I move that the eight motions be dealt with as one consolidated motion.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Mr. Szabo is moving that they all be moved as a single motion. Is there agreement to move them all in conjunction?

(Motion agreed to)

I guess it's open to debate now if there's anybody who wants to speak to these motions.

Mr. Martin.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Well, I don't want to debate the merits of the motion so much because I think it's pretty self-evident that we'd like all these papers. I'm a little concerned, from a practical point of view, about the logistics of getting all that material to us. Getting it translated and circulated...it may be sometime next fall by the time we actually see it for any practical purposes.

I'm wondering about the wisdom about asking for it all at once. I'm just thinking it through as I'm talking, but even if you did hive off just one of these, it could still be quite a wait. We all know how long it takes to get an access to information request through in this day and age. That's sort of what we're doing here, asking for the production of all papers, all correspondence associated with any contact by Green Power Corporation and its partners, etc., with any one of these government agencies.

I hope it'll happen quickly, and maybe it's more of a question than a comment, but from a realistic point of view, when could we expect to see these papers? Would they be of any use to us in the context of this study if it's even the end of the month by the time we see them?

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Mr. Martin, there is no provision within this to deal with the linguistic requirements outside of our Standing Orders. If members did want to make exceptions to our Standing Orders, they might want to include that or amend this motion to address that.

Ms. Coady.

[Siobhan Coady, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

This is a question.

We just talked about a budget. Couldn't we ask within that budget to get some outside assistance in translation, because most of these documents are being provided to the committee in one language only? I know we've already gotten a tremendous amount of papers; I think 68 pages or more. I'm wondering if we could ask for outside assistance in the translation so we can get it more expeditiously.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Apparently there's not a necessity, or the clerk doesn't believe there's a necessity, to have an outside resource for the translation. There is the Public Works bureau that will be doing the translation. That's one point.

The other point is that there's a good chance some of these will come translated, based on where they're coming from.

[Siobhan Coady, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

But do we have the opportunity, if the committee decides, to be able to put in a budget for...?

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

My recollection is that we did have a situation at another time where we considered the use of an outside translator and it was very expensive. When we move on this, once we see what comes in, we can make a determination, I suspect, as a committee.

Mr. Nadeau.

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

The important thing is to make sure that the documents are circulated to us as soon as the translation is received. There is no way around that. It is a basic principle and we all have to live with it. As soon as the documents are translated, we get them.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Mr. Brown.

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I read these motions, and I just worry that some of them are redundant. Maybe Ms. Coady can enlighten us, but don't we already have all the paperwork from the ministers that was requested? Don't we already have the paperwork from Minister Ambrose, from Minister Goodyear, from Minister Baird? Are we not asking for something that we already have?

I'm not a big fan of having motions that are unnecessary. We could pass a motion saying that we want it to be spring right now and it already is. What is the point of these motions?

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Ms. Coady.

[Siobhan Coady, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

I'd vote for spring. I had snow on Saturday; I'm just voting for spring.

Having said that, I don't know whether we have all the documents. I know we've had documents submitted to committee, but I don't know if they're all the documents. I don't know if there are more documents to come--I have no idea--from that department.

For example, if I were to prioritize, we haven't really heard from the office of the Minister of Natural Resources, which has a tremendous amount of money going towards the green funds. So I'd like to hear from that office in particular, and others.

I think if they are forthcoming, then we'll receive them. I don't think there should be a concern to my colleagues around the table. If you're saying we received them, then there shouldn't be a concern that we'll be missing more.

I would like to see the motion go forward, and then, if there's more to be had, we'll get more. If there's not, then I guess, Mr. Brown, you're correct in saying that there was no more to be had. But we don't know that for a fact.

[The Chair]

Mr. Holder.

[Ed Holder, Conservative, London West, ON]

Thank you very much, Chair.

I have a question, through you, to the clerk because I just need some clarification. I keep putting my business hat back on in terms of all the things we're dealing with. It strikes me, as I look through Siobhan's motions, that we name a couple of companies' information very specifically in terms of lists of clients and certain information there. It just hearkens me back to my former life.

So, Clerk, to you, we're dealing with commercially sensitive documents. I know you're busy, but when you're free, I'll finish the thoughts.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Please keep going.

[Ed Holder, Conservative, London West, ON]

Thank you. Again, through you, to the clerk, we're dealing with commercially sensitive documents and information. I recall in Mr. Gillani's testimony not so long ago that he talked about the devastating impact this whole situation had on his business.

My question to you, Clerk, is this, if I could, please, when it comes to receiving information on commercially sensitive documents, how have other committees handled that? I'm very mindful of the impact that can have on business, and I think we all need to show that kind of regard. Could you help me understand that a bit, please?