Evidence of meeting #1 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:15 p.m.
The Clerk
Can you speak for just a couple more seconds? We'll see, with the interpreters, if they're getting better sound quality. One moment, please.
Ms. Blaney, can you just say a few more words to see if the interpreters can understand a bit better?
4:15 p.m.
NDP
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
Absolutely. I'm sorry. I came in and did the sound check, and it was fine then. I'm not sure what happened. I have unplugged it and plugged it in.
4:15 p.m.
The Clerk
They're giving me a thumbs-up now, so hopefully, that might be better.
Mr. Therrien should also be getting better sound quality.
4:15 p.m.
NDP
4:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ruby Sahota
Okay. I will clarify a little bit how we're proceeding. I'll clarify the motion that's being moved by Ms. Blaney. I don't think there are any amendments to this motion at this time. We'll see whether or not it passes and then changes can be entertained if it does not.
Right now, Monsieur Therrien, Ms. Blaney's motion essentially takes in that second round those 2.5 minutes of the Bloc's questioning and the 2.5 minutes of the NDP's questioning and puts them in the middle of the Conservative/Liberal five minutes. You would have Conservative, Liberal, Bloc, NDP, and then Conservative, Liberal again. You're just moving them up two spots.
That's the motion being moved right now. We're going to have a vote on that.
4:15 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
That's her scenario number one. Is that correct?
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
Todd Doherty Conservative Cariboo—Prince George, BC
Madam Chair, is that scenario one or two? That's what I want to ask as well.
4:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ruby Sahota
Madam Blaney, is that scenario one or two?
I don't have the scenarios in front of me right now.
4:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ruby Sahota
That is scenario one. Okay.
Mr. Clerk, could you help us with the vote? Is everyone in favour of scenario one? All in favour?
4:15 p.m.
Liberal
4:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ruby Sahota
Okay.
(Amendment agreed to: yeas 6; nays 5)
Okay, so the questioning order has been changed for the second round to place the Bloc and the NDP in the middle, after the Conservatives' and the Liberals' questions.
As for the other issue that came up, the 10 minutes for opening statements, would anyone like to move that change?
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
I would like to put forward a motion, Madam Chair.
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
I'd like to put forward the motion that in the second round we swap the second Conservative and Liberal spot so that it would go New Democratic Party 2.5, Liberals five minutes, Conservatives five minutes.
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
—it goes Conservative five, Liberal five, Bloc 2.5, New Democrat 2.5, Conservative five and Liberal five. I'm saying that the last two be swapped so that it goes Liberal five and Conservative five.
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON
I'm just wondering, Mark, if you could give me a little background. What is the benefit to any opposition party supporting that? Is it just a case of more questions for the Liberals? I just want to get a little more feedback on that.
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
I don't understand.... Well, I mean, I think you'll make your decision as to whether or not you want to support it. I'm not presupposing that you won't, but I think it's important that in order to be as fair as possible, we do it this way.
The reality is that there's one extra member on the Liberal side. If we're talking about fairness, we don't even end up with all of our people getting to ask questions, whereas we're seeing it otherwise on the other side, where people are getting more time than the composition of members, if you were to factor that in.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON
Ruby, can I take the floor? Are you answering from the list? I'm just wondering how you're going to do this.