Justice Committee on Nov. 13th, 2007

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

It's only one more on the first page, which is allocation of time for questioning, and we've dealt with this many times in other committees.

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

Can I move the non-controversial ones? This is going to take time. I'm going to move services of analysts. I'm going to move that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

If it's okay with you, Mr. Lee, let's go one at a time.

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

Okay, I'm going to move services of analysts from the Library of Parliament, as written.

(Motion agreed to)

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

I'm going to move quorum, as written, number three.

(Motion agreed to)

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

I'm going to move documents that are available in both official languages, as written.

(Motion agreed to)

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

I'm going to move the motion on working meals, as written.

(Motion agreed to)

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

Flip the page. I'm going to move the motion on witnesses' expenses, as written.

(Motion agreed to)

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

I'm going to move the motion staff at in camera meetings, as written. No? I'll drop that one.

I'll move private members' business--

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

Monsieur Ménard.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

As to the presence of staff, everyone has to be clear that it includes the “whippersnappers”, not just our assistants, but someone from the whip's office, because you know that we are nothing without them.

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

I'm not going to move that, Mr. Chairman. We'll have to debate that one.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

We're going to skip over that one. We'll do it later.

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

I'm going to move the motion on private members' business bill, as written.

(Motion agreed to)

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

I'm going to move the motion on in camera meeting transcripts, as written.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

On the notice of motions.

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

I'm going to move notice of motions, that 48 hours' notice be required for any substantive motion, as written.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

Is there agreement?

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

That's fine. There was another change I was going to make, but 48 hours is fine.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

Back to the subcommittee on agenda and procedure. Is there discussion?

Mr. Moore.

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

On that, I know Mr. Comartin had said to put that off. Number one, I just want to say I don't take any of that personally. All the talk about...I'm fine, my feelings are not hurt by anything that was said. I know.

Someone asked for the reason why we'd want to do that. I know many times it came up in the last session where members, including opposition members, would ask me, as parliamentary secretary, about upcoming government business, about different priorities, and being on the subcommittee I'd be able to offer that direction directly rather than someone having to seek me out afterwards. As well, the reason for the other changes flowing from that is to maintain balance on the subcommittee. That's the only intention there.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

Thank you, Mr. Moore.

I too would like to make a comment, given the fact that for the last year and a half this committee worked very well, moving legislation forward. The parliamentary secretary was present at a great number of those meetings, steering committee meetings, and assisted the steering committee with moving this agenda forward. I might remind the entire committee that all of it must be ratified by the committee as a whole, in the end. So if we can do that and do it efficiently in the steering committee, it makes the committee's work much easier when we don't have to go through the whole thing a second or third time.

The input of the parliamentary secretary has been very advantageous for the steering committee, I might add, because we can pick up additional information that we would have to seek otherwise that might come up in debate. I would argue that this arrangement would be an acceptable one for that purpose alone, keeping in mind again that the committee as a whole deals with the agenda as it's struck by the steering committee.

Ms. Jennings.

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

I'm not in favour of the amendment that's being proposed by Mr. Moore. When I was a parliamentary secretary myself in different portfolios, it was my duty to keep my colleagues, not just in my own party but also the opposition parties, informed as to the government's agenda, the government's intention, in the particular portfolio for which I was responsible. It was not necessary for me to sit on the subcommittee on agenda and procedure and I did not sit on the committee.

I also recall, as have Mr. Lee and Monsieur Ménard, the vehement debates that took place in different standing committees in previous Parliaments where first the Reform Party, predecessor to the Canadian Alliance, then the Canadian Alliance, successor to the Reform Party, then the Conservative Party, successor to the Canadian Alliance, mounted arguments to ensure that parliamentary secretaries to the then-governing party were not part of the composition of the subcommittee on agenda and procedure. That did not preclude the liberty of the governing party to designate someone else among the members of the party if their member of the subcommittee on agenda and procedure was unable to be there. And it might have been the parliamentary secretary, but that person was not part of the composition.

I'm not in favour of Mr. Moore's proposal.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

Do you want to speed things along, Mr. Moore?

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

Sure. Since no one wants me on the subcommittee with them, I will withdraw that motion.