Bill C-30 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) Committee on Dec. 14th, 2006

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

We're discussing how to receive adequate notice. The norm is 48 hours. The proposal is 24 hours, but 24 hours is not 24 hours. However, we don't realize what time the meeting is going to be starting. Many of us are going to be on the environment committee and also this legislative committee, and maybe other committees.

There are a lot of pressures on each of us. What is being asked for, again in the spirit of fairness, is adequate notice. The norm is 48 hours, which is normally two sleeps. If we can have adequate notice, what is that? I think maybe a compromise would be that the 24 hours be defined as 24 hours. That keeps it quite simple.

[An hon. member]

Hear, hear!

[The Chair, Conservative, Laurie Hawn]

Monsieur Paradis.

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

At the risk of repeating myself, I would say that we need to have a full 24-hour day, something that I've been arguing for for some time now. I am not trying to shirk my responsibilities. I'm telling my opposition colleague that for reasons beyond our control, a motion that has been filed with the clerk may only come to us much later. Regardless of the resources we have at our disposal, you cannot ask anyone to do the impossible. I am a lawyer by training. In the legal system, for comparable issues, issues of great importance and that are fundamental, we set aside a full 24 hours. We are going from 48 to 24 hours. I understand the meaning of the motion presented by my colleague, and understand that we must move quickly, but we have to make sure that members of the committee are not taken by surprise. That is the difference.

[The Chair, Conservative, Laurie Hawn]

Mr. Jean, then Mr. Godfrey.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

Actually, I'm prepared to hear the question.

[The Chair, Conservative, Laurie Hawn]

Mr. Godfrey.

[John Godfrey, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

I can't believe this.

Why don't we just say that 24 hours be required, etc., and that therefore the notice of motion must be filed with the clerk of the committee 24 hours before the beginning of the meeting at which it's to be considered? If you like, that's 24 hours. We will then assume that the distribution period will be some lesser element of that.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

I agree 100%, except that you're interpreting that 24 hours and 48 hours do not mean that.

[John Godfrey, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

That's why I'm putting in there that it has to be filed 24—

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

Could I suggest “a full 24 hours”, just so it's in different terms? Thanks.

[The Chair, Conservative, Laurie Hawn]

Okay. Are we at the point of voting on the amendment? Then if that amendment is defeated, we move to the second amendment.

The amendment we are voting on now is that of Mr. Bigras.

[The Clerk]

The amended motion would read as follows: That 24 hours' notice be required for any substantive motion to be considered by the Committee, unless the substantive motion relates directly to the business then under consideration; that the notice of motion be filed with the clerk of the Committee no later than 3:00 p.m. on the preceding day, and distributed to members in both official languages by no later than 5:00 p.m.

(Amendment negatived)

[The Chair, Conservative, Laurie Hawn]

Go ahead, Mr. Godfrey.

[John Godfrey, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

The revised version would read now: “That 24 hours notice be required”. And then the wording continues: “and that the notice of motion be filed with the clerk of the committee a full 24 hours before the meeting at which it is to be considered, and distributed to members in both official languages.”

[The Chair, Conservative, Laurie Hawn]

Is there any further discussion on that motion?

I'm sorry, just for clarity, can you read that again for the clerk?

[John Godfrey, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

You substitute “24” for “48” in the first line. It would read, “and that the notice of motion be filed with the clerk of the committee a full 24 hours before the beginning of the meeting at which it is to be considered, and distributed to members in both official languages.”

(Amendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[The Chair, Conservative, Laurie Hawn]

Now we go to the question on the main motion as amended, which is essentially what Mr. Godfrey said.

(Motion as amended agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[The Chair, Conservative, Laurie Hawn]

The third to last one is about in camera meetings and transcripts.

It reads: “That one copy of the transcript of each in camera meeting be kept in the committee clerk's office for consultation by members of the committee.”

It is moved by Mr. Warawa. Is there any discussion?

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Laurie Hawn]

The next one is about staff at in camera meetings. It reads: “That, unless otherwise ordered, each committee member be allowed to be accompanied by one staff member at an in camera meeting.”

The mover is Mr. Godfrey. Is there any discussion?

Go ahead, Ms. Redman.

[Karen Redman, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Would that include a representative from the whip's office as well?

[The Chair, Conservative, Laurie Hawn]

I believe so.

[Karen Redman, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

I have a legislative staff person here, but I think all of our whips' offices have representatives. It wouldn't just be the Liberal whip; it would be a whip of each party.

[The Chair, Conservative, Laurie Hawn]

That is at the discretion of the committee. Do we need to--

[Karen Redman, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

I would ask, if that's a friendly amendment, that be included. It doesn't give advantage or disadvantage to any of us.