How are we doing this? How many are we hearing in each city? Who have we asked and who are we perhaps not hearing from? How much time will each witness have to present?

Are we doing video conferencing? We've talked about booking Newfoundland in given that we decided not to go there. Are we hooking in northern New Brunswick from Moncton, for example?

I know that in Moncton we're doing a site visit to a food bank. Are we doing site visits in other communities that we're going to?

12:40 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Okay. Thanks, Tony. By the way, thank you very much for that suggestion on the food bank. It's great that we're going to be able to work that into the schedule.

I've just right now asked the clerk to hand out the witness list. As I said, all the people on this list have been contacted. Not all of them have been confirmed, but all of them have been contacted based on the lists that we have taken from the members here.

On video conferencing, I'm not sure. There isn't any at this point, but we have certainly offered to pay any expenses for people coming in.

This is the list we have right now, with all the names you've submitted. We're just waiting to hear back from some of them at this point. This list is a good example; we're hearing four to five people per panel. We have a pretty rigorous schedule here, as I see it. As far as I know, we're probably going to give them seven or eight minutes to present. Certainly, as you can see here, I believe the panels are going to run for an hour and a half. Everyone probably will have the chance to ask more than one round of questions.

We'll talk about it a little more informally as it gets closer, Tony. If we want to make sure that enough people get a chance to go twice, maybe we can go for five minutes each. We'll certainly be able to work it out amongst yourselves. There are only six members here. That will give a lot of people a chance to ask questions.

Mike.

12:45 p.m.

Liberal

Michael Savage Liberal Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS

I'm intrigued by the fact that we're going to a food bank in Moncton. Is that true?

12:45 p.m.

A voice

Yes.

12:45 p.m.

Liberal

Michael Savage Liberal Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS

I know that in Halifax it's a busy schedule, but is it possible that we might do something like that in Halifax? What I'm thinking of is the Metro Turning Point Shelter, perhaps, as I see that Michael Poworoznyk is scheduled to appear, or Phoenix Youth Programs. I'm sure there are a number of people who would be delighted to....

The Metro Turning Point Shelter might be ideal. It's where homeless men spend the night. There's usually a lineup. For people who haven't seen a shelter, it's an interesting experience.

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Why don't you talk off-line with the clerk? We'd be happy to try to book that in.

Just remember that for anything we book—and I think it's great, and we should be—we'll just delay our departure from one city to the next. These are going to be full days. I think that's the point of what we're doing. All suggestions are certainly welcome.

Thanks, Mike. You guys can talk afterwards.

All right. Are there any other comments?

Tony.

12:45 p.m.

NDP

Tony Martin NDP Sault Ste. Marie, ON

Are there any folks who applied who didn't get on the list?

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

At this point, no, that has not been the case. No one's been turned away.

All right, and thanks again. Thanks for today's meeting and for working through all of that. That's all the business I have to cover for now. We look forward to seeing everyone on Thursday. We have a lot of witnesses on Thursday as well.

Tony.

12:45 p.m.

NDP

Tony Martin NDP Sault Ste. Marie, ON

On the western swing, have we done anything further or have we heard anything further?

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

I have not heard anything back. As soon as we get the letter, we'll forward it to everybody. The clerk will make sure it all gets set up.

12:45 p.m.

NDP

Tony Martin NDP Sault Ste. Marie, ON

I will just highlight again my concern that it not conflict with the travel we were looking at in northern Canada, rural Canada, and aboriginal communities.

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

We'll ask. We're going to get some clarification. As a matter of fact, I have a liaison meeting right after this, and one of the things on the agenda is my letter that was sent out and that's going to be sent to all the clerks. We're going to be discussing that today.

Thanks very much, everybody.

With that, the meeting is adjourned.