Government Operations Committee on Oct. 7th, 2010

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

I am kind of concerned about the major issue, which is time. I'm particularly concerned about time this morning.

Mr. Martin, please make a brief intervention.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

I'll be as brief as I can.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Yes, I know it's a challenge.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

You know, we really can't dedicate a great deal of time to this issue. We have a scandal within the Department of Public Works about the very buildings we're sitting in, looming on the front pages of the newspapers. We're the oversight committee for Public Works and Government Operations. This committee would be negligent if it weren't at least seized of the issue of the possibility of corruption in the allocation of major government contracts.

So while we're flitting around over somebody's notional musings in a small private member's bill, we have under way what could be the biggest scandal since the CPR, for God's sake, and we're kind of oblivious to it.

That's my concern, Mr. Chairman.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Thank you for those musings, Mr. Martin.

Mr. Warkentin, final word, please.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

Mr. Chair, I'm amenable to whatever type of work the opposition wants to undertake. What I'm concerned about is that we will return on Tuesday following Thanksgiving and are going to expect to do something. If we don't get this dealt with today—and that's fine, as there doesn't seem to be a willingness to do it—my question is, what are we going to do, or how are we going to work this? Are we going to set up a committee that will meet during Thanksgiving? That seems unreasonable.

So I'm wondering what we're going to do. Are we meeting tonight, tomorrow, Monday? If we meet on the Monday that we return, there's not going to be enough time to prepare a committee meeting for Tuesday.

That's my concern.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

I will assure you, Mr. Warkentin, that the committee agenda will be occupied on Tuesday.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

Okay, but we haven't agreed as a committee to do anything for that Tuesday.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

It generally falls to the chair to try to set the agenda for the committee. I take some guidance from what is said. I would wish that the four representatives of the committee get the most effective list of witnesses possible so that we could be ready for Tuesday. That's largely dependent upon the four representatives of the committee. Otherwise, our clerk is left without guidance, and I certainly want to make sure he works over the course of the week that is off.

Absent any other issues, I'm going to call it there....

Oh, Madam Coady.

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

Thank you very much.

I have given due notice of motion for the production of papers for G-8/G-20, and considering that we've agreed to study G-8/G-20, I think it would be important for us to review this particular motion calling on basically a production of papers, so that when we sit down to review this we have the documentation required.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Thank you.

Mr. Warkentin, you had a third motion with respect to a subcommittee. I hope it's not nearly as controversial as the last one.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

I have spoken to the clerk, and we do have....

I won't move that at this time.

[An hon. member]

[Inaudible--Editor]

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

No, Mr. Warkentin's has precedence over your motion.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

What I want assurance of, Mr. Chair, is that at least there would be some mechanism to inform the respective parties sooner than one day before as to what the meetings will be. It's very difficult for committee members of all different stripes to prepare for committee meetings when we're only told who the witnesses will be the day before or the day of.

I understand from the clerk that there is a mechanism for a subcommittee that's already in place, but perhaps there is some way, Mr. Chair, that you would engage that subcommittee while there are decisions being made as to who the witnesses will be for successive meetings.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

We'll be happy to set up the subcommittee with representatives of each party. My only comment on that is that I have sat on way too many committees in which the subcommittee formulates an agenda, presents it to the main committee, and the main committee rehashes the whole thing all over again.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

My concern is not that. I agree with you. I don't want to have additional meetings for the sake of having additional meetings. What I do want is some mechanism whereby there will be feedback from the chair as to what we can anticipate when we return.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Okay, that's a legitimate comment. We will set up a meeting of some kind with representatives from all parties, hopefully sooner rather than later.

So those are your two motions.

Madam Coady has put forward a motion. I'd ask the clerk whether her motion is in order or whether it's ancillary to her previous motion. Depending on the case, it could require 48 hours.

[The Clerk of the Committee, Mr. Marc-Olivier Girard]

It is a different motion, but she has already given the 48 hours' notice.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

So it's in order.

Madam Coady, would you move your motion, please.

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

Thank you very much.

I'd like to move to require the production of papers around G-8/G-20.

Would the chair require that I read it into the record?

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

You should, yes.

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

I move: That the Committee requests the Government provides it with the details of all costs associated with the G8 and G20 Summits, from all departments and agencies, including for goods, services and overtime salaries, providing for each contract (i) the name of the contractor, (ii) a description of the goods or services provided, (iii) the value of the contract, (iv) how the contract was awarded, (v) whether the cost was associated with the G8, G20 or both, within 10 business days.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Any discussion on that motion?

Mr. Warkentin.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

I'll oppose this motion simply because we know that 90% of the costs related to the G-8 and G-20 were security costs. Many of these are kept confidential for the sake of security reasons, and therefore I won't support it.