Government Operations Committee on March 22nd, 2010

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

I'm not a permanent member here, but it seems to me it's fairly simple. When you have a new group of people coming before the committee, then you start anew. So I would advocate for what you had been doing. If there's extra time, it should be dispensed with appropriately in the sequence that you desire as the chair.

But you get a very different set of responses from a minister versus the officials--we all know that, and the government knows that, so with respect, it's not the same.

In the foreign affairs committee, we can have a study on free trade with the United States and have a go-around with the minister and have officials as a separate go-around. I would think it would be unusual and bizarre to break with that, and I think what you were doing was following the practice set at all committees.

It changes the sequence, and I was a victim of that because I was interceding when I thought it would be the NDP and it was actually the government. Each committee does that. But to change the sequence when you're looking at the estimates...the minister brings forward a set of capabilities and insights that is very different from those of his officials, and to start to loop them together is not appropriate. I think you should stick with what you have. Mr. Martin would want that. It makes it easier, it keeps it simple, and I think it's fair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Mr. Holder, and then Mr. Warkentin.

[Ed Holder, Conservative, London West, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I can understand why my colleague from the NDP would feel that way, based on the way the sequence of questions occurred. I'll come back to this circumstance here, where we Conservatives thought that, as the government, we would have the next question, and it didn't occur.

But I suggest that the point that I felt really did express some wisdom was if they're the same or related. If the one issue is you ask ministers to attend for two hours and they can, terrific. Frankly, I think they would make their best efforts and it would be what it is.

Having said that, that's a separate issue from the issue of the numeracy of speaking. Right now, every round, according to our formula—and we have a formula that I observe—would involve one hour and 32 minutes of questioning, with our getting our appropriate questions in whichever ranking, based on standings in the House. That's how this is all done, and I felt somewhat shortchanged.

You know I have more opinions than my Cape Breton mother, and I never had a chance to express them today. That may not be a loss to this committee, but I would suggest to you that, from our standpoint, if it is related, then I think the sequential sense of what we have feels fair to me. If it's different, I'd defer to the chair on that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

I think Mr. Warkentin's suggestion was that we play it by ear, and if the committee can operate or cooperate that way, that would serve us well.

Mr. Warkentin.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

Yes, since this is an unusual case, we can take it up at the beginning of future meetings that look to be like this.

I respect you, Madam Chair, having chaired the last meeting. These events often come unexpectedly, and certainly we'll now know that we should take a look and make an agreement before a future meeting similar to this one.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Okay. Thank you.

And I'd like to thank you for chairing the last meeting. You came up with a work plan suggestion on the study—

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

Excuse me, Madam Chair, if we do plan to go into that, we may want to go in camera--if we're going to be modifying or talking about the work plan--because it hasn't yet been solidified and distributed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Sure.

Is it the will of the committee to be in camera?

I have to suspend again for 30 seconds and tell anybody who is not supposed to be here to go away.

[Proceedings continue in camera]