Transport Committee on March 27th, 2012

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

The reason I put a deadline on it is because as time keeps going on, the workers are feeling even more desperate and angry. If we have all the representatives here this coming Thursday, surely with two hours we can hear from all of them. We can hear about the history, what happened with Air Canada, etc., which I think we mostly know already. But we can hear from them.

Next Tuesday there will be different motions. I'm sure there'll be a report. I don't think it will be a big stretch for us to be able to finish a report. It sounds like the minister has some information that he will give to us on Thursday. Maybe the department will have already provided us with some information. Surely by next Tuesday we should be able to have something in front of us, and we can make a decision one way or another. I can't see why we need more than two meetings to conclude it. It should then be reported to the House of Commons, which is why I put the deadline in.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Mr. Coderre.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Mr. Chair, let me repeat that she doesn't need to propose an amendment. I will consider it as a friendly amendment and it will be part of the motion.

I would like to tell my colleagues on the government side that, if we see there is not enough time, we can always make adjustments. We need to act quickly. As we speak, people are taking the vending machines from the hangars.

I think we also have to help our colleagues. We don't need to vote on a motion. Let's include it in this motion and we can proceed with the motion moved by the government, which proposes that we do not invite the minister, but his officials.

[Ed Holder, Conservative, London West, ON]

I want to be clear on that point. Ms. Chow has the unique circumstance of being able to have a friendly amendment on either the motion or the amendment to the motion. I would certainly support it as well. I just want to be clear that if the intention is to append it to my motion, I'm prepared to accept it as a friendly amendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Even though it is a friendly amendment and has been agreed upon, because it's a subamendment we will have a vote on it.

I will call a vote on the first amendment by Mr. Holder to invite the minister—

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

We should have the subamendment first.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

I apologize.

Ms. Chow's amendment is that we conclude and finalize the report on April 3.

Mr. Holder.

[Ed Holder, Conservative, London West, ON]

I have a point of clarification, Chair.

Is that a subamendment to mine or to the main motion?

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

It could be either, but it will impact the main motion.

[Ed Holder, Conservative, London West, ON]

As a separate point of order, if we support the subamendment to the main motion, are we in effect supporting the main motion?

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

No. There's going to be a subamendment, an amendment, and then a vote on the motion as amended.

To work with Ms. Chow's motion, we'll have the subamendment first to your amendment.

[Ed Holder, Conservative, London West, ON]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Then we'll deal with your amendment, and then with the motion as amended.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

Wait a second, Mr. Chair. You said that her amendment is to the main motion and not to the subamendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

The actual wording Ms. Chow presented was a subamendment to Mr. Holder's, so that's how we will look at it.

Ms. Chow.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

It is meant to be for the main motion. The wording would say "in particular" and then "and that a report from such study be concluded by the end of April 3."

I've actually written it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

That's fine.

I'm going to deal with Mr. Holder's amendment first, and then we'll deal with Ms. Chow's, just to make sure it's clear.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

I will need some clarification on Ms. Chow's after we've done Mr. Holder's.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Mr. Holder has proposed an amendment that would eliminate the invitation to the Minister of Transport, but would invite his officials and representatives from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.

[Mike Sullivan, NDP, York South—Weston, ON]

There is more discussion, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

More discussion? Okay. Go ahead, Ms. Morin.

[Isabelle Morin, NDP, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

People on the government side said that we did not ask the minister questions about the estimates. The minister was here for an hour. You yourself, Mr. Chair, said that that wasn't enough time. The minister talked for more than 10 minutes. Then Mr. Fletcher spoke as well. Only two members from our party had time to ask questions. I would have liked to ask him some questions.

When we are faced with an emergency situation like that, it is important for the minister to be able to come back. The Clerk would be able to confirm this; we had at most 35 minutes for questions. I don't think that's enough. If we want to get to the bottom of this issue, the minister has to be here that day.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Is there further comment?

We're going to deal with Mr. Holder's amendment, then, which would remove the minister and include his officials.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

I would like a recorded vote.

(Amendment agreed to) [See Minutes of Proceedings]

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

We'll now move to Ms. Chow's motion, which would....

Mr. Poilievre.