Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) Committee on June 13th, 2006

[Joe Wild]

That's right.

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

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Can we now vote on NDP-18.3? Okay.

(Amendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

(Clause 165 as amended agreed to on division)

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

We're on page 136. This is government-proposed amendment G-42, which would add new clause 165.1.

I might add that this is the same as NDP-18.4.

Mr. Poilievre.

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

In light of that, and in light of my continued spirit of non-partisanship, I will withdraw G-42 and throw my support behind the NDP amendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Mr. Poilievre has withdrawn his amendment.

Mr. Martin, we're on NDP-18.4, on page 136.1. Your motion, please.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

I'd like to move NDP-18.4, to add to the schedule of the act, in alphabetical order under “other government institutions”, the Canadian Wheat Board.

This is one, I suppose, Mr. Wild, that does not fit under the neat rubric of “government institutions”. It therefore is necessary to list the Canadian Wheat Board. Is that correct?

[Joe Wild]

Yes, the Canadian Wheat Board is not a crown corporation within the meaning of section 83 of the Financial Administration Act; therefore, we need to be scheduling it.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Very good. Thank you.

(Amendment agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

We're down to clause 166 and BQ-28 from Monsieur Sauvageau.

Monsieur Sauvageau.

(On clause 166)

[Benoît Sauvageau, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

All right. This gets us back to our old conflicts here. We're going to have a short break for a moment before we proceed with this. We'll suspend for a moment or two.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Okay, we're going to start again.

Monsieur Sauvageau, we're on a Bloc Québécois amendment, BQ-28.

Monsieur Sauvageau.

[Benoît Sauvageau, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Chair, I will surprise you. I will present amendment BQ-28, if you find it admissible.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Yes, sir.

[Benoît Sauvageau, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Thank you.

Mr. Chair, I will remind the Conservative members this statement they may have forgotten. On page 12 of their document Stand Up for Canada - Conservative Party of Canada Federal Election Platform 2006, under the chapter “Strengthen Access to Information legislation”, it says:

A Conservative government will: Expand the coverage of the act to all Crown corporations, Officers of Parliament, foundations, and organizations that spend taxpayers’ money or perform public functions.

The word “manage” should be used instead of “spend”, which is not very appropriate.

After reading the document Stand Up for Canada, I thought that maybe, they had forgotten to mention a few foundations. That is why we are moving amendment BQ-28. It is a kind of gift.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Is there any further debate?

Mr. Poilievre.

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

I recognize the usual generosity of my colleague. He is still trying to contribute to our process, and he supports the approach Conservatives that has been put forward in their electoral platform.

But the list he provided included agencies that were not established by federal legislation. That is why they have been excluded initially.

Also, several agencies do not get sizable funds from the federal government. Most of their resources come from the private sector. It is not the case with all agencies, but there are some in this list.

I have here a subamendment restricting the list to five agencies that have been established by federal legislation and that could be included in the list of institutions and agencies under the Access to Information Act.

My subamendment reads as follows: that BQ-28, proposing to amend clause 166 of Bill C-2 by replacing lines 1 to 9 on page 119, be amended by substituting the following:

Asia-Pacific Foundation of Canada, Canada Foundation for Innovation, Canada Foundation for Sustainable Development Technology, Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation and The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I hope I have the support of my colleagues.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

So I'm clear, are those the only ones you wish included in the subamendment?

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

Yes, these five would be included.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Monsieur Sauvageau.

[Benoît Sauvageau, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

There is a problem somewhere.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

I'm sorry, did I jump ahead? I apologize.

Mr. Martin first.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Thank you, Chair.

I'm interested in my colleague's subamendment because I was going to have to vote against this Bloc amendment, partly because the first foundation listed is the Aboriginal Healing Foundation. I feel strongly that this Parliament and certainly this committee have no business providing access to information regarding the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, for the same reason that I'm going to oppose the Auditor General having the right to audit first nations. It's a unique status, which we need to acknowledge in everything we do here in the House of Commons.

I also had an inclination to put forward an amendment early on elsewhere in the bill that would call for access to information being allowed in any government agency or institution receiving more than two-thirds of its funding from the federal government. I thought that was a logical saw-off, so I understand partly where Mr. Poilievre is coming from in identifying these key five. I understand that there is a mixed source of income for many of the others.

So I'm inclined to support the subamendment and oppose BQ-28 as it stands.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Mr. Sauvageau, and then Mr. Owen.

We're getting very close, folks, and we have to leave.