Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) Committee on June 7th, 2006

[Benoît Sauvageau, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

I want to vote.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

You want to vote.

All those in favour—

Mr. Murphy.

[Brian Murphy, Liberal, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB]

Yes, it's a quick draw here, Mr. Chair.

There's a change from 120 days down to 30 days. Why?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

We felt that the timeframe could be set at 30 days, and that was a very reasonable position to be in. We see no reason why that 30-day requirement cannot be met.

So I would offer the floor to the technical experts to share any of their wisdom on the subject, but we stand by our amendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Mr. Wild, Mr. Stringham. Go ahead.

[James Stringham]

Mr. Chairman, you'll note that for all of the provisions with respect to public declarations, there are timelines for filing, for making the public declarations, save for 25(1). We neglected to put one in, so we're adding the 30-day deadline because there was no deadline provided in 25(1).

[Brian Murphy, Liberal, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB]

It's 25(1) of the draft act, right?

[James Stringham]

t's proposed subsection 25(1) on page 14; I'm speaking of proposed sections of the act.

I beg your pardon, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Are you okay, Mr. Murphy? Thank you. We'll call a vote.

Yes, Ms. Jennings.

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

I wonder if the conservative members would be in agreement to change the 30 days to 60 days, because 30 days is very short.

[Brian Murphy, Liberal, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB]

In support of that, Mr. Chairman, I could refer to proposed section 22, which—

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

I think we would accept changing that number to 60 days as a friendly amendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Yes, that seems to be in order.

Questions?

Mr. Martin.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Are you open for debate on the subamendment?

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Sure. Thirty to sixty, Mr. Martin. Yes.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

May I raise a point of order?

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Point of order, Mr. Poilievre.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

I don't mean to cut off Mr. Martin. I just want to understand the context of this.

With a friendly amendment, is it automatically accepted? If it's accepted by the mover, is it automatically accepted into the amendment, given that it is a friendly amendment?

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

I'm told that if it is unanimous, we can do anything in here.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

So is it?

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Before Mr. Martin speaks, is this amendment unanimous?

The subamendment is not unanimous.

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

You just asked on the amendment, you did not ask on the subamendment. Mr. Martin wishes to speak on the subamendment, then he may have a decision on it. And the subamendment may be unanimous.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

I just want to keep everybody happy.

Mr. Martin, go ahead.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Thanks.

I would speak against changing this from 30 days to 60 days. From the public's point of view, it's more advantageous to have a shorter timeframe, because going from 30 to 60 days gives the reporting public officer a longer period of time before which that person has to tell the public that he or she finds himself or herself in a conflict and wants to make a public declaration of recusal. I think it's in the public's interest to have as short a period of time as possible.

So I would speak against any effort to change 30 days to 60.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

We're going to vote on the 60 days, the subamendment.

(Subamendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

(Amendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])