Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  Yes, when a member of the public sits in front of a committee, as I am here now, they enjoy all the protections of that committee meeting. It's a proceeding of the House and they are fully protected. We had to very quickly move to protect that rule when the Gomery commission want

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  I'm not sure I fully appreciate your question. If you are asking whether proceedings of a committee would be adversely affected by provisions in the Conflict of Interest Act, it's only to the extent that parliamentary secretaries might not be able to participate in the debate or

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  I don't know what information a parliamentary secretary who is a privy councillor may have, as against that of a parliamentary secretary who's not a privy councillor. In either case, he or she is sitting on this committee and is participating as a member of Parliament.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  No. Our lawyers are here and we will do what you ask. Just tell us exactly...

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  Section 49 of the Constitution Act, 1867, requires that all questions be determined by a majority of voices. There might be some who think that's not terribly important. Section 48 of the Constitution Act, 1867, requires that the House have a quorum of 20 before it starts its b

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  Mr. Chairman, the statutes would govern public office-holders and the provisions of the House of Commons would govern members of Parliament. It might be that the same official would have responsibilities for inquiring into alleged conflicts with respect to either members or to pu

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  Are you referring to Bill C-2?

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  I think that we found everything which could affect the privileges of parliamentarians. Going through the bill clause-by-clause would require an enormous amount of time.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  Mr. Chairman, I must point out that this idea that there are 15 amendments is just a little off-base. In fact, it is the number of subjects which is at issue. There are 15 subjects involved. However, you cannot present a motion concerning a subject; you have to proceed clause-by-

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  Our legal advisors are at your service, Ms. Guay, as they are at the service of any committee member wishing to draft an amendment. All you have to do is ask our legal advisors to prepare them. We do not present amendments; it is the members who do so.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  Mr. Chairman, we are willing to prepare amendments for Ms. Guay and for any other member of the committee. Just tell us what you want and we will prepare the amendments.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  Mr. Chairman, I'd certainly be pleased to do that. However, please understand that we only draft in response to instructions received from members of the committee, so there has to be that event: the member has to request them. You can forward requests for amendments, but then we

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  I don't know.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  Mr. Chairman, I'm sorry. Could I respond to that? That was the kind of response that was given in the early days of environmentalists. It was an uphill struggle to bring awareness to the fact that the unseen impact of various activities is real. I'm not an environmentalist, an

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  I don't know the facts of that case.