There is some discussion, Chair. I have noticed at previous meetings that often we run out of time. It might have been the number of witnesses present at the table, so it added up to a lot of 10-minute presentations. Sometimes they go over, and you're kind enough not to cut them off, or sometimes a member goes over the allotted time during questioning.
Every member of the committee wants to participate in that committee meeting, but I remember many a time that it didn't transpire that way, because time ran out and one or two committee members never got to ask questions.
I'd like to move an amendment, as follows: “That during the questioning of witnesses, there be allocated five minutes for the first round of questioning, and that thereafter five minutes shall be allocated to each questioner in the second and subsequent rounds of questioning at the discretion of the chair”.
Basically, it's five minutes across the board. It's not seven minutes in the first round and five minutes elsewhere; it's five minutes for the first round and five minutes for all other rounds.
I think that would help to ensure that all members at the table will have the opportunity to participate in the discussion and the debate. It is difficult to be at a meeting for two hours. You might have a particular question that's pertinent to you, pertinent to the industry, pertinent to your riding, and you don't get to ask it because we're out of time.
Chair, my other experience has been that splitting five minutes is nearly impossible. People take two minutes to ask their question and then two minutes to answer it, and there goes four out of the five minutes. There's no way you can split--not effectively, not properly. You can't split a five-minute slot, and even seven minutes is very hard.
I think it's just fair. Every MP and every party would have the same. It would be five minutes around the table.