Evidence of meeting #1 for Bill C-20 (39th Parliament, 2nd Session) in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was staff.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Bev Shipley Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON
I know this is important to Minister Hill. He has run into some concerns with cabinet meetings. His preference would have been Tuesday and Thursday mornings, because those are open, if we were going to meet twice a week.
Just let me go to a couple of things, if I may, and maybe we could get some assistance as to the day.
You, Madam Chair, and others have mentioned that we want to expedite as much as we can. Just to move ahead on this, if there were acceptable days, I would suggest from this side that if we could make it two days a week, we make that happen; that certainly would be the preference. Rather than extending it out this way, getting it looked after in a reasonable amount of time is likely in the best interests of everyone, so that we can get it off the table in a reasonable time.
The other part of it is, we're just trying to work around a schedule so that Minister Hill can be a part of this. I'm substituting for him today because of commitments he has in cabinet.
I don't know whether Wednesday—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Albina Guarnieri
Are you making an amendment, then, to Madame Guay's motion? Madame Guay has suggested once a week.
Conservative
Bev Shipley Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON
Can I make an amendment that it be on Wednesdays from 3:30 to 5:30?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Albina Guarnieri
Yes, Wednesday from 3:30 to 5:30 is a good time for most of the committee members. As I mentioned earlier, the clerk checked everyone's schedule for availability. My understanding is that this would just inconvenience one individual in this committee, and I don't think it was your whip.
So the amendment before us, then, if you're in agreement—
Conservative
Bev Shipley Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON
From 3:30 to 5:30. I think, Madam Chair, if it is...and if something comes up requiring a second one, the committee can deal with that.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Albina Guarnieri
So we're dealing with Madam Guay's....
You're not moving an amendment, then, if you're in agreement with Madam Guay's motion. You're in agreement, Mr. Shipley?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Albina Guarnieri
The other matter before us is whether or not the meeting should be televised. Do we have a motion to that affect?
Mr. Lukiwski.
Conservative
Tom Lukiwski Conservative Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK
I don't think any of us has a problem, whether it's televised or not. I know that in other committees, from time to time the committee members themselves determined that they wanted to have it televised, when it's not their normal course of business. Maybe that's how we deal with this.
I also don't know what the difficulty would be in getting a room equipped for televising.
Whatever the will of the committee is would be fine with us.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Albina Guarnieri
Legislative committees do have priority, but perhaps you would like to move a motion?
Madame Guay.
Bloc
Monique Guay Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
I do not mind either way. I am going to support the motion, but it is often difficult to book a room equipped to televise a meeting. I have known that for years. Then things get out of hand and meetings do not get held. If it possible to have it televised, fine; if not, we must have the meetings anyway so that we can get the work done.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Albina Guarnieri
Madame Guay, are you moving a motion that the committee meet every Wednesday at 3:30 and that the meetings be televised if possible?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Albina Guarnieri
We need agreement now. Usually, we invite the minister to appear before us. Do we have any insight into whether or not the minister is prepared to come before us?
Mr. Lukiwski.
Conservative
Tom Lukiwski Conservative Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK
If you wanted to bring the minister in this week, he would be available. I would assume it's probably going to take a day or so for most parties to try to assemble witness lists, so if you wanted to start off with the minister, he had indicated that this week would probably be good for him. That's without knowing what day of the week it will be.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Albina Guarnieri
Perhaps we can invite the minister and see if that's suitable for his agenda.
Thank you.
The other item before us that we need to reach agreement on is when the list of witnesses will be filed with the clerk. Do we have strong opinions about the timeline to submit that list to the clerk?
Mr. Lukiwski.
Conservative
Tom Lukiwski Conservative Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK
I'm just suggesting that if we have agreed to one meeting a week, that being Wednesday, and if the minister is available to come this Wednesday, then we have a fair amount of time to try to determine who the witnesses will be. I honestly don't know how involved it is getting witnesses to travel to Ottawa from out of the city.
I'm just spitballing here, but if somebody has a better suggestion, please bring it forward. If you want to give committee members enough time to compile the lists of witnesses they'd like to see and still give the clerk enough time to contact the potential witnesses and invite them here for the following Wednesday, would a deadline of noon or 1 p.m Friday give the clerk enough time?