Procedure and House Affairs Committee on Jan. 31st, 2008

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Goodyear]

I recognize you, Mr. Lukiwski.

Let me welcome everybody back after the holidays. I hope you all had a productive time in your ridings. On behalf of, I'm sure, other members of the committee, I wish all of you a very happy, prosperous, and safe new year.

Colleagues, this morning I want to present the steering committee's report. The steering committee met earlier this week and drafted the second report of the subcommittee on agenda and procedure of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs. I'm formally tabling that report, and we'll open this up for consideration.

I recognized Mr. Lukiwski. You have the floor.

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

Thank you, Chair.

I have just a couple of comments about this. In particular, we've seen the motion before. That's certainly not a surprise. But what is somewhat of a surprise is the last line, which says “take priority over the other work of the Committee”. My understanding, Chair, is that we had an agreement among all members of this committee that if legislation came forward, it would take priority over the work of the committee.

I see that what I thought was a pretty firm agreement has now been tossed out, which I think, number one, speaks to the fact that I think there's inequity on the steering committee, to begin with. We've had that discussion before, and I know we were outvoted. The inequity is that the Conservative Party does not have a vote on that committee, since our chair is on the committee, and although he's a member of the Conservative Party, he does not have a vote on the steering committee. Quite frankly, I think it's one of the only steering committees around, of any committee, that has only opposition members in a position to vote.

That aside, I must say that I do disagree with—

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

On a point of order, the official languages committee has no other members of the Conservative Party, just the chair. That's just to correct what he said.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Goodyear]

Thank you. That's debate.

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

I thank my honourable colleague for the clarification. Now I see that there are two committees that don't have equal representation, which further compounds the problem, in my view.

That notwithstanding, it does appear that the steering committee has determined, in its infinite wisdom, that legislation is not a priority for this committee, that they wish to discuss Madam Redman's motion.

With that in mind, I have a motion, Chair. I apologize, because it was rather hastily written and it's handwritten, because it just occurred in the last few moments. But I'd like to read it. It's only in English, not in both official languages. I assume the clerk will be able to get the correct translation. I would like to read it into the record.

I would consider it to be complementary to Madam Redman's motion, although I would suspect that I'm not going to get much agreement on that from members of the opposition. Nonetheless, I will read it into the record:

That, the Standing Committee of Procedure and House Affairs conduct a study of the advertising practices of the Conservative Party of Canada, the Liberal Party of Canada, the New Democratic Party of Canada and the Bloc Québécois during the 2000, 2004 and 2006 federal election campaigns.

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON]

Clerk, can I be on the speakers list for that motion?

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Goodyear]

May I have clarification, Mr. Lukiwski? Are you moving that the report be amended, or is this a separate motion?

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

It's a separate motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Goodyear]

Colleagues, on the advice of the clerk, I need to ask whether the committee wishes to address this motion or go back to discussing concurrence of the report first. For clerical reasons, we need to concur in the report, which doesn't mean accept the report, it just means that it's on the table. I think I tabled this report right at the beginning of the meeting, so it's in. So this is a separate motion.

Now, could everybody just go back? This is a separate motion on the report. Mr. Lukiwski has moved this motion, and I'm going to allow you to continue to speak.

Can you read it again for everybody, please?

[The Clerk of the Committee, Mr. James M. Latimer]

That, the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs conduct a study of the advertising practices of the Conservative Party of Canada, the Liberal Party of Canada, the New Democratic Party of Canada and the Bloc Québécois, during the 2000, 2004 and 2006 federal election campaigns.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Goodyear]

Point of order.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Mr. Chairman, you have deemed the motion in order, but we are dealing with the report. If we start to move all kinds of motions, what is to become of the report? We need to examine and vote on the report, as per today's agenda under committee business. The business of the committee is the steering committee's report on which we are supposed to vote. If anyone wishes to table a motion subsequently, then the committee will entertain it, but not this way. I do not recall seeing anything like this in the past.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Goodyear]

Monsieur Guimond, is this a point of order?

[Michel Guimond, Bloc, Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC]

I wish to speak to the same point of order. The notice of meeting that we received mentioned that we were going to proceed to adopt...I am trying to break the impasse. I understand that Mr. Lukiwski wants to table his motion, and it will be deemed in order. However, the purpose of this meeting is to adopt the report of the subcommittee on agenda and procedure. Once we have done that, the internal rules of operation of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs make no provision for notices of motion. So, I suggest that once we have adopted the second report, Mr. Lukiwski go ahead and table his motion and that we vote on it then. I think that is how we should proceed.

Getting back to the agenda, why was this meeting convened in the first place?

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

Can I speak to that point of order?

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Goodyear]

Yes, I'm going to let you speak to the point of order.

The confusion we're having here is with respect to whether this is actually a motion or a change to the report. This is a procedural issue, and I'm trying to make sure we get it exactly correct. I'm going to allow some discussion on this, so that we can see where we're going.

Mr. Lukiwski, on this point.

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

The point that both Monsieur Godin and Monsieur Guimond were making is that you deal with the report of the subcommittee. Before my motion, Monsieur Guimond made a point that notice of motions should be given.

If you recall, Chair—please correct me if I'm wrong—this committee does its work a little differently from how other committees do theirs. You don't need a 24-hour or 48-hour notice of motions.

[Michel Guimond, Bloc, Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC]

I said that in French. We don't need a review.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Goodyear]

Thank you, Mr. Guimond. I'm trying to conduct this in an orderly fashion.

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

My point would be that I've done things in complete order and that my motion should be heard.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Goodyear]

Madam Redmond.

[Karen Redman, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Am I on the list?

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Goodyear]

I didn't know you were on for the point of order. Are you on for the point of order or the speaking?

[Karen Redman, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

I am in for it all.