Industry Committee on March 3rd, 2011

Evidence of meeting #60 for Industry, Science and Technology in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was investment.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

  • Oliver Borgers  Chair, Foreign Investment Review Committee, Competition Law Section, Canadian Bar Association
  • David Coles  President, Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada
  • Guy Caron  Director, Special Projects, Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada
  • Calvin Goldman  Partner, Blake, Cassels and Graydon LLP , As an Individual
  • Anthony Baldanza  Vice-Chair, Foreign Investment Review Committee, Competition Law Section, Canadian Bar Association
  • Michael Bloom  Vice-President, Organizational Effectiveness and Learning, Conference Board of Canada
  • Bruce Campbell  Executive Director, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
  • Michael Hart  Simon Reisman Chair in Trade Policy, Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University, As an Individual

3:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair David Sweet

I call the meeting to order.

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to meeting 60 of the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology.

We have five witnesses before us and two panels of witnesses, so we need to be expeditious today in our business beforehand.

I'll introduce our guests right now. From the Canadian Bar Association, we have Oliver Borgers and Anthony Baldanza. From the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, we have David Coles and Guy Caron. We also have Calvin Goldman, who is a partner at Blake, Cassels and Graydon.

I'll start from my left to right for opening remarks. It'll be by organization, with five minutes each for opening remarks. I'm going to stick to that pretty closely, particularly because we only have one hour for this panel, but first we have a bit of business to clear up.

Mr. Rota, you gave notice of a motion. You may speak to the motion now.

3:30 p.m.

Liberal

Anthony Rota Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON

I don't have a copy of the motion with me.

3:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair David Sweet

Everybody has a copy of your motion.

3:30 p.m.

Liberal

Anthony Rota Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON

I'm the only one who doesn't have one. Thank you for the advance notice on that, Mr. Chair.

3:30 p.m.

Voices

Oh, oh!

3:30 p.m.

Liberal

Anthony Rota Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON

Basically, the motion is very straightforward. It asks Minister Clement to join us here on March 10 to go over the estimates. I don't think there's anything controversial or unusual there. It's something we do every time the estimates come up. That's basically all it is asking for.

3:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair David Sweet

Thank you very much, Mr. Rota.

I believe I looked around the table last time, when you introduced the motion, and there seemed to be a consensus. Do I have that right now? Is there consensus on that?

Go ahead, Mr. Wallace.

3:30 p.m.

Conservative

Mike Wallace Burlington, ON

I don't have any issue with inviting the minister and I love estimates, but I'd rather deal with the bureaucratic level after you have done the political stuff. Do they also get invited to come?

3:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair David Sweet

The officials as well as the minister will be here. We're hoping it will be for two hours, but it may only be for one hour. We'll see about their availability.

3:30 p.m.

Conservative

Mike Wallace Burlington, ON

I may have some difficulty being here next Thursday. Are you hell-bent for that day, or can we do it next Tuesday?

3:30 p.m.

Liberal

Siobhan Coady St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL

No, Tuesday is when we're doing the census.

3:30 p.m.

Conservative

Mike Wallace Burlington, ON

Okay. Why don't we vote on the census now? I'm opposed and you guys are in favour--it's done.

3:30 p.m.

Liberal

Anthony Rota Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON

If we can stay with the March 10, I think that would be best.

3:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair David Sweet

Go ahead, Mr. Lake.

3:30 p.m.

Conservative

Mike Lake Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB

I just want to clarify the schedule again. Will this push back the Investment Canada Act study even further? Is that as per our discussion last time?

We may want to consider cancelling what will probably be more of a redundant meeting on the census, since we've already had hours and hours of meetings on it. Maybe we want to push that back to put give priority to this Investment Canada Act study. Everybody seems to say it's important, but nobody seems to actually put any importance behind it.

Can we get some clarification on the schedule again? When would the next Investment Canada Act meeting be if we did this?