Afghanistan Committee on March 11th, 2009

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

Yes. In order for all the members at the table to have a chance to speak or ask a question in the first two rounds, you have to have five spots for the Conservatives. If you don't start the second round with a Conservative, or have one in there somewhere, then one of the people at the table won't get a chance to ask a question.

Mr. Crête.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

The overall spirit of the motion is not to grant speaking time to members, but rather to the parties. That was the purpose of the motion adopted by the committee in the past. The party can choose to split its time if it so wishes. Like the other parties, the Bloc can decide to split its time into two three-minute or three-and-a-half-minute chunks.

If we amend the question to allow all committee members to speak, then we will be altering the dynamics completely.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

In response to that before I open it up, I believe the numbers at the table reflect the situation as it exists overall in Parliament, so that's why it's structured with this many members on each side.

I understand what you're saying, but....

Mr. Hawn.

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

If somebody wants to share their time, they can share their time. But the simple fact is that the Conservatives get seven minutes--one round in the first one--and they need to get four five-minute rounds in the second one because there are five members. We get 27 minutes. That's the way it works. That's the distribution in the House. That's the distribution on the committee. That's why those slots are the way they are.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

Mr. Dewar.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

I want to be clear here. We have a motion in front of us. We agreed to change the order of the first round. We were then clarifying the significance of this second title. We established that it is a typo, I guess. Is that clear?

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

No.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Well, there's something wrong then, because people are misinterpreting this. I want some clarification before we carry on the debate.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

Okay, if you want to put a Conservative in at the bottom, wherever, I think it's still fair that everybody at the table gets a chance to ask a question in the first two rounds. I don't know if the Conservative has to be first or where it needs to be, but that's my argument.

Mr. MacKenzie.

[Dave MacKenzie, Conservative, Oxford, ON]

Mr. Chair, I'm sure the Bloc doesn't really mind that it gets the same number of rounds as the NDP, when you go two rounds. I think there's something wrong with the sheet, if you look at it.

I'm not trying to limit your time, Paul, but if you look at it, I think there's something wrong with the second round.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

Okay, we have Mr. Obhrai and then Mr. Crête.

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

As it stands right now, if you count, there are only four Conservatives anyway, according to this. Right?

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

It needs to be five.

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Yes, but we haven't done anything yet. Are you suggesting we change the second round too?

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

I think I opened a can of worms here.

Monsieur Crête.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

I'd just like all committee members to know that the motion is exactly the same as the one adopted last time around. We're simply asking for the status quo.

What Mr. Obhrai's is proposing today with his amendment corresponds to the motion that was adopted by the committee during the last Parliament. At least that is the motion that was printed in the minutes of proceedings of the meeting.

Mr. Hawn, you can check for yourself in the minutes of the last meeting that were provided by the House.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

Mr. Crête, are you suggesting it was adopted as it appears here?

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

The last time the committee met, the speaking order during the first round of questioning was as follows: the Liberal Party, the Bloc Québécois, the NDP, the Conservative Party. During the second round, the speaking order was: the Liberal Party, the Conservative Party, the Bloc Québécois, the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party, the NDP. That is exactly the same order as we have here.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

Mr. Hawn.

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Mr. Chair, Mr. Crête has forgotten about the election in November. That changed the composition of the committee.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Yes, but what I'm saying is that this motion is exactly the same as the one adopted last time around.

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

There's one more member on this side of the committee than there was when that was passed. The makeup of the committee has changed.

Last time every member of the committee got a round of questioning. All we're saying is that this time every member of the committee needs to get a round of questioning. The number of members from each party has changed on the committee; therefore, it is going to change.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

But we still have a minority government.

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Well, we're still in a minority. It doesn't matter; it's the same principle as last time. This reflects the makeup of the House, which is different from the makeup of the House last time.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

The numbers have changed in the House. That's a factor.

So somebody help me bell the cat here.