Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 2nd Session) Committee on Oct. 30th, 2007

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Dykstra]

Mr. Ménard's motion is that we in fact have a subcommittee. I'm asking if there is agreement.

[Some hon. members]

No.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Dykstra]

There is no agreement, so the motion is lost.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

We are going to discuss the witness list at the full committee?

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Dykstra]

Speaking of which, we are now back to our list of witnesses, and we have not passed the motion. Bearing in mind that we have not moved a subcommittee, we will have to strike the portion in this motion that suggests or recommends a subcommittee.

Mr. Ménard.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

I am ready to strike the motion in part, but I have another one to make, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Dykstra]

I'm sorry, before we discuss your amendment, are you prepared to move the motion in general so we can have discussion?

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

Oui.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Dykstra]

Thank you, Mr. Ménard.

To Monsieur Ménard's amendment that we would strike the subcommittee on agenda and procedure, basically the sentence would end at “2007” and the last portion of that would be taken out. Is there agreement on that?

Mr. Ménard.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

I would like to get a feeling of whether my colleagues would like to meet more often. Given that we are now full of the spirit of cooperation, I feel that we should not rule out the possibility of meeting three times per week. The Bloc Québécois wonders whether our colleagues would agree to meeting on Tuesday morning from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., on Wednesday after question period until 5:30 p.m. and on Thursday morning from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. I know that our NDP colleagues are in agreement, but I have not yet checked with our Liberal colleagues, and government members.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Dykstra]

Mr. Ménard, you're now dealing with our meeting times?

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

I am making a proposal about our meeting hours because...

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Dykstra]

You're making a motion, under the “Lists of witnesses” motion, on meeting times?

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

No, no.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Dykstra]

Okay, because that's the way.... Right now the motion that's on the table is to deal with our list of witnesses.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

We have passed it. Let us pass it, and I will come back to the list. We passed the motion. Fine.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Dykstra]

We agreed on the amendment, but we never actually passed the motion that the list of witnesses be provided to the clerk no later than November 1, 2007.

Agreed?

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Dykstra]

Thank you.

Monsieur Ménard.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

I am making a different motion.

Since we are not going to have a steering committee, I would really like us to know before the meeting, so that we can arrange our schedules accordingly, if it is the will of my colleagues that we meet...We are ready to meet three times a week, without, of course, creating a precedent for other bills, I would add. We are in favour of meeting, if the committee wishes, on Tuesday morning from 9:00 a.m. to 11 a.m., on Wednesday after question period, because we have a caucus meeting in the morning, and on Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 11 a.m. If that is what my colleagues want, I can make the motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Dykstra]

Mr. Keddy.

[Gerald Keddy, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margaret's, NS]

I'm assuming, Mr. Chair, that the reason the schedule is set up this way is so that we can have televised hearings. I'm assuming that those are the times available for the room where televised hearings are held.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Dykstra]

There will definitely be an attempt to do that. We don't have full control over that. There may be days that it just doesn't work out, that we don't have a televised room, but yes, that certainly is the intent.

[Gerald Keddy, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margaret's, NS]

I concur, 9 to 11 is a much better time. I like that time. But if this is the only window that's open, then....

I'm asking if the chair has more insight into the meeting times.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Dykstra]

Here's the issue we have. We have to meet a minimum of 16 hours. If we go by Mr. Ménard's suggestion with respect to...I would assume then that Tuesdays and Thursdays would be 9 to 11. Wednesdays would be 3:30 to 5:30.

Looking at your calendars, based on that scenario, by November 15 we will have had 16 hours. Then on I guess either that Monday or Tuesday--

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

No, we are not sitting.