Procedure and House Affairs Committee on Nov. 26th, 2009
Evidence of meeting #28 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was referendum.
A recording is available from Parliament.
On the agenda
MPs speaking
Also speaking
- John Hollins Former Chief Electoral Officer of Ontario, As an Individual
12:40 p.m.
NDP
12:40 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Joe Preston
Yes, it goes beyond the mandate that we're allowed to do here. It is, in fact, asking for something this committee cannot do.
12:40 p.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin Acadie—Bathurst, NB
But we're writing a report to be sent to the House of Commons, and that could be part of our report. If the House accepts the report, that means they accept what we have said to them. The House could refuse the report.
12:40 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Joe Preston
Sir, that could very well be part of the report, if we were at the point where we were writing the report. You've given us a notice of motion, and the motion doesn't say that. The motion asks for things to happen that are beyond the mandate of this committee to do.
Mr. Proulx.
12:40 p.m.
Liberal
Marcel Proulx Hull—Aylmer, QC
Mr. Chair, I think we have more witnesses that we should be hearing. I think we should probably invite Mr. Vellacott.
November 26th, 2009 / 12:40 p.m.
Conservative
12:40 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Joe Preston
I've ruled against it at this moment, so we're not on the motion, that's for sure. We're on committee business.
12:40 p.m.
Liberal
Marcel Proulx Hull—Aylmer, QC
We're on committee business.
I think we should hear more witnesses. One of the witnesses we should hear is the member for Saskatoon--Wanuskewin, to understand exactly how it happened this way.
12:45 p.m.
Conservative
12:45 p.m.
Conservative
12:45 p.m.
Conservative
12:45 p.m.
Conservative
Scott Reid Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON
Isn't the conduct of future business normally done in camera?
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
Marcel Proulx Hull—Aylmer, QC
We're on business, it's not future business. It's the business of the point of privilege that we've been discussing. It's not new business.
12:45 p.m.
Conservative
Scott Reid Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON
I follow that. All I'm saying is that normally, when we start discussing who we're going to have as witnesses and that kind of thing, that is done at an in camera meeting. I think Mr. Guimond's point is that may not be binding upon us. That may well be the case, and if that's the case and it's the will of the committee to stay in public, we can do that. But I raised a point of order because normally it is conducted in camera.
12:45 p.m.
Bloc
