Evidence of meeting #1 for Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:30 p.m.
The Clerk of the Committee Mr. David-Andrés Novoa
Good afternoon.
Honourable members of the committee, I see a quorum.
I must inform members that the clerk of the committee can only receive motions for the election of the chair. The clerk cannot receive other types motions, entertain points of order, or participate in debate.
We can now proceed to the election of the chair.
Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the chair must be a member of the government party.
I am ready to receive motions for the chair.
Go ahead, Mr. Hoback.
3:30 p.m.
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
I would like to nominate Mr. Larry Miller for the position of chair. He's a great member and he has done a great job in the previous years. I think this committee could really utilize his history and knowledge, so that's who I would nominate.
3:30 p.m.
The Clerk
All right. Are there any further motions?
It has been moved by Mr. Hoback that Mr. Miller be elected chair of the committee.
(Motion agreed to)
I declare the motion carried. Mr. Miller is duly elected as chair of the committee.
Before inviting Mr. Miller to take the chair, if the committee wishes, we will now proceed to the election of the vice-chairs.
Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the first vice-chair must be a member of the official opposition.
I am now prepared to receive motions for the first vice-chair of the committee.
Go ahead, Mr. Lemieux.
3:30 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Lemieux Conservative Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
I'll propose my good friend Mr. Allen.
Is that okay with you, Mr. Allen?
3:30 p.m.
The Clerk
It has been moved by Mr. Lemieux that Mr. Allen be elected first vice-chair of the committee.
Are there any further motions?
(Motion agreed to)
I declare the motion carried and Mr. Allen duly elected as first vice-chair of the committee.
Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the second vice-chair must be a member of an opposition party other than the official opposition.
I'm now prepared to receive a motion for the second vice-chair.
Go ahead, Mr. Hoback.
3:30 p.m.
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
We have a member from the Liberal Party, Mr. Valeriote, who was part of the committee last time, and I think he'd make an excellent vice-chair.
3:30 p.m.
The Clerk
It has been moved by Mr. Hoback that Mr. Valeriote be elected as second vice-chair of the committee.
(Motion agreed to)
I declare the motion carried and Mr. Valeriote duly elected as second vice-chair of the committee.
I now invite Mr. Miller to take the chair.
3:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
Thank you very much, and thanks very much, Mr. Hoback, for nominating me, and the rest of you for supporting that nomination. I'm sure we're going to have a very productive session.
To the returning members, congratulations. To our new members Mr. Rousseau, Madame Raynault, Mr. Zimmer, Mr. Payne, and Mr. Lobb, welcome to the committee.
As well, congratulations to our vice-chair and second vice-chair, and Mr. Bellavance sat in to hear us.
Our next potential business here is routine motions, and I need unanimous consent to deal with them today.
Do I have unanimous consent?
3:30 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
3:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
A lot of this, as you know, is regular housekeeping to establish the guidelines the committee operates under. Although there are generalities from committee to committee, every committee is in control of its destiny as to how you want to carry it out.
I'll just remind the committee that I need a mover for each motion.
Does everyone have a copy of the motions?
3:30 p.m.
A voice
Yes.
3:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
The first one is for analysts.
For anybody not familiar with committees, we have a couple of analysts--always one, anyway--who sits in. This motion would make it possible for them to sit in.
Do I have a mover for that?
It is moved by Mr. Payne:
That the Committee retain, as needed and at the discretion of the Chair, the services of one or more analysts from the Library of Parliament to assist it in its work.
(Motion agreed to)
I'd invite the analysts to join us now.
3:35 p.m.
Conservative
3:35 p.m.
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
Could we have the analysts introduce themselves so the new members can—
3:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
Certainly. I was just going to get to that.
Could both of you introduce yourselves?
3:35 p.m.
Frédéric Forge Committee Researcher
My name is Frédéric Forge, and my colleague is Khamla Heminthavong.
We are analysts with the Library of Parliament. We both have a background in agriculture. We're here to provide research and information to the members on the topics the committee wants to study.
3:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
Welcome aboard.
The second motion is for a subcommittee on agenda and procedure.
Do I have a mover for that motion?
It is moved by Madame Raynault.
Is there discussion on that motion?
Go ahead, Mr. Lemieux.
3:35 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Lemieux Conservative Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
I'd like to raise a point on this one.
For the subcommittee, I've been a long-term proponent, Chair, that you should be there in a neutral capacity. You should be acting as chair both on committee and on subcommittee.
Here we have only four people involved on the subcommittee on agenda and procedure. I think we should add one. We should have five. We should have two government members, two vice-chairs, and a parliamentary secretary--I'm sorry, I've got that wrong: it should be two government members, one of which is the parliamentary secretary, and the two vice-chairs. That allows you to act in the capacity of chair without having to take sides.
3:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
What you are doing is amending this motion so that all three parties are represented, plus the chair, plus the parliamentary secretary.
3:35 p.m.
Conservative
3:35 p.m.
Liberal
Frank Valeriote Liberal Guelph, ON
If you are the chair at a subcommittee, would that entitle you to vote to break any tie when an opinion is being expressed?
In your absence, then, if this motion you're bringing forward doesn't succeed, what would occur if a tie could not be broken, if he wasn't there?
