Health Committee on Nov. 15th, 2007

[Robert Thibault, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

Does that mean that if a witness brings some documents to the committee and they are circulated through the clerk or they are given to the clerk of the committee they have to be delivered in both official languages?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Thank you, Mr. Thibault. We can provide translation services.

[Robert Thibault, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

Then there is no change.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

There is no change. It is exactly the same.

Could I have a mover for that particular motion, please?

[An hon. member]

I so move.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Thank you.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Number 5 is about 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.

[Steven Fletcher, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia, MB]

I'll move that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

I didn't even have to ask.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Now we're going to move to number 6, witness expenses: that, if requested, reasonable travel, accommodation and living expenses be reimbursed to witnesses, not exceeding two representatives per organization, and that, in exceptional circumstances, payment for more representatives be made at the discretion of the chair.

May I have a mover for that particular motion?

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

I so move.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Mr. Brown, thank you so much.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

We are going to go back to number 7 and number 8. We're going to do numbers 9 and 10 and then go back to numbers 7 and 8, because there are possible amendments.

Number 9 is about in camera meeting transcripts: that one copy of the transcript of each in camera meeting be kept in the committee clerk's office for consultation by members of the committee.

Could I have a mover for that motion?

[Lui Temelkovski, Liberal, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

Is that the same as it has been?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

It's the same as it has been.

[Lui Temelkovski, Liberal, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

For how long will they be kept?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

They are kept for 30 years. Thank you. It's the same as it was before. There are no changes at all. Could I have a mover for that one?

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North, MB]

I so move.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Judy Wasylycia-Leis, thank you so much.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Number 10 is on notice of motions: that 48 hours notice be required for any substantive motion to be considered by the committee, unless the substantive motion relates directly to business then under consideration; and that the notice of motion be filed with the clerk of the committee and distributed to members in both official languages, and that the notice given on Friday be deemed to have been given on the following Monday.

Could I please have a mover for that motion?

[Robert Thibault, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

I'd like to move that motion, but I'd like to ask a question first.

It has been my understanding that in practice, it's something that's being considered by committee that the chair has accepted motions on, but here it's not defined. It just says “except for those instances”. I wonder if we shouldn't at some point define what that means and exactly how the chair should consider such motions.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

We've never had it. This is the same as it has always been.

Let the clerk go ahead.

[The Clerk]

When I receive a notice of motion, 48 hours, I normally put it on the notice for the next meeting when the 48 hours are past. Then I put it on the agenda under “committee business”, and if it relates to a study, maybe under that study. That's the way the committee has normally proceeded.

The reason I underlined the last part you see there is because that's different from other committees, but it has been like that for a few years in our committee, that if I get a notice on Friday, I consider it to have been received on Monday, and I just want to bring that to your attention, whether you want that in the motion or not. We did have it before, but other committees don't have that.

[Robert Thibault, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

But the supposition when I read this is that if the motion, although substantive, is on business that's already before the committee, then it's dealt with immediately.

[The Clerk]

Yes, and that's exactly what we had in the previous session.