Evidence of meeting #1 for Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was motions.
A recording is available from Parliament.
The Clerk of the Committee Ms. Isabelle Duford
Honourable members of the committee, I see a quorum. We can proceed to the election of the chair.
I am now ready to receive motions for the election of the chair.
Mr. Lemieux.
Conservative
The Clerk
It has been moved by Mr. Lemieux that Mr. Miller be elected chair of the committee.
Are there any further motions?
Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?
(Motion agreed to)
I declare the motion duly carried and Mr. Miller elected chair of the committee.
The Clerk
Before inviting Mr. Miller to take the chair, if the committee wishes we will proceed to the election of the vice-chairs.
I am now ready to receive motions for the election of the first vice-chair.
Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the first vice-chair must be a member of the official opposition.
Mr. Bellavance.
The Clerk
Mr. Bellavance has moved that Mr. Eyking be elected first vice-chair of the committee.
Are there any further motions?
Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?
(Motion agreed to)
The Clerk
I declare the motion carried and Mr. Eyking duly elected first vice-chair of the committee.
I am now prepared to receive motions for second vice-president.
Madam Bonsant.
The Clerk
Ms. Bonsant has moved that Mr. Bellavance be elected second vice-chair of the committee.
Are there any further motions?
Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?
(Motion agreed to)
I declare the motion carried and Mr. Bellavance duly elected second vice-chair of the committee.
I now invite Mr. Miller to take the chair.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
Thank you very much, lady and gentlemen.
I have a short statement that I need to read in terms of housekeeping. On Wednesday, March 3, 2010, the House of Commons adopted the following order:
That, for all standing committees, routine motions in effect at the time of prorogation of the previous session be deemed to have been adopted in the current session, provided that committees be empowered to alter or rescind such motions as they deem appropriate.
Accordingly, the routine motions that were in effect at the time of prorogation are reinstated. The clerk will reflect the House order in any minutes of the meeting. The committee can, if it chooses, amend any of these motions.
Finally, for information purposes, the clerk has distributed a copy of the motions to all committee members.
Mr. Lemieux.
Conservative
Pierre Lemieux Conservative Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
Perhaps I could just comment on that.
There was one routine motion that I wanted to bring back in front of committee, and that was my request that the government be allowed to have a government member on the steering committee.
I would re-echo some of the arguments that we had put forward before. In order to preserve the neutrality of the chair, it's very difficult on the steering committee to be both the chair, who is expected to be neutral, and the person who advances the government position. I would also underline that in the steering committee, we as the government, if a government member were allowed to be part of the steering, would still be outvoted three to one by the opposition. So it does not pose any kind of voting threat to the opposition.
Chair, I feel it better preserves your neutrality and allows the government position to be enunciated by a government member as opposed to by the chair.
I would like to put that in front of committee. I'm hoping for their approval on that.
Conservative
Conservative
Pierre Lemieux Conservative Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
Well, I suppose I could put a motion on that in front of the committee.
Conservative
Conservative
Pierre Lemieux Conservative Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
Okay, then, I'll put a motion on that in front of the committee. It's concerned with the business of the day, so I think we can receive that motion. Would that be correct?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
I guess the question that the clerk put to me, and something that I was going to bring up, was trying to do a bit of business today; I guess this would come under there.
But I see Mr. Eyking's hand up. Maybe I'll hear what he has to say and we can go from there as to whether the motion is appropriate, I suppose.
Liberal
Mark Eyking Liberal Sydney—Victoria, NS
Well, I kind of respect Mr. Lemieux's tenacity in bringing this forward again. We have the same number of members here who were here before. I don't think our feelings have changed any on it. The way the steering committee is structured now reflects the House of Commons in the members who are there and the parties that are there, so we're not going to be going for that.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
Is there any further discussion?
Mr. Bellavance?
André, I should have had this out to all of you. Go ahead, André.
Bloc
André Bellavance Bloc Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
For the same reasons that have already been discussed and that come up quite often, I find it inappropriate that the parliamentary secretary be present or that we change the steering committee procedure.
Under former chairs, be they Liberal or Conservative, we always found a way to function... especially since what is discussed is then presented before the main committee. I never felt that the chair had a problem with representing his or her party on the steering committee and serving at the same time as chair of this committee. In my opinion, this issue is not deserving of further attention and no changes need be made.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
Thank you.
Is there any further discussion?
If we are in business of the day, then I guess you still do have the option of carrying forward with that, but I don't see a consensus of support for a motion. It would probably be fruitless, Mr. Lemieux.
Conservative
Pierre Lemieux Conservative Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
Thank you, Chair. You're right. If I were to put forward a motion, it doesn't seem that it would pass. I'm a little disappointed. As I say, it should pose no threat to the opposition members. I would easily be outvoted three to one on any issue. The other thing is that it doesn't have to be me, necessarily; it could be any member.
However, I've heard the will of the opposition members. We're outvoted on this committee, so we'll just leave it be, Chair.
Conservative
