Evidence of meeting #19 for Bill C-30 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was amendments.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:05 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Laurie Hawn
Your point is taken.
We have to get copies of this amendment. The amendment is being submitted in accordance with the rules, however distasteful that may be to some.
Mr. Manning.
10:10 a.m.
Conservative
Fabian Manning Conservative Avalon, NL
My concern here, again.... And I stress, I have studied the amendments that we were presented with prior to the weekend. Some of the amendments put forward by the Liberal Party and others are amendments that I certainly think are of a positive nature, going forward with the bill.
You know, the government brought forward this bill. This special legislative committee was struck to look at the bill, to accept recommendations, to see if we can come forward with a bill that Canadians accept. To use the words of Mr. McGuinty, I'm disappointed but not surprised that we're here this morning with 30-odd new amendments, with another one just laid on us again. It's an understatement, in my view, to mention a pre-empting of the work of the committee.
Mr. Chair, we all came here in good faith--I certainly did--to address the concerns Canadians have with the environment. To see the sideshow that's gone on here this morning.... I hate to say this, but I think it's a major delay tactic by the Liberal Party. Attempting to jeopardize the work of the committee in our first meeting on clause-by-clause--we haven't even gotten to the first one yet this morning--I think is a major concern for us all.
If there's this idea that we're going to sit here and approve these amendments in three to five minutes, then certainly from my point of view--and I do speak only for myself--it ain't going to happen. I want an opportunity to study these amendments. I want an opportunity to have my say, to put forward any subamendments I may want to put forward, and to address the concerns we have.
I think it's just a delay tactic that's jeopardizing the whole atmosphere of what we're trying to do here.
10:10 a.m.
Conservative
Christian Paradis Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
Mr. Chairman, I would simply like to make an observation along the lines of those already made by my colleagues. We came here to this committee meeting in good faith. I believe that everyone wanted to see the members of this committee cooperate in order to have things move forward, but we come here this morning and we are presented with a humungous amendment, without any prior notice. You then make a ruling that is challenged, but sustained. In the end, which is no surprise, we are presented with 12 amendments.
Mr. Chairman, I do not know how far the Liberal Party will try to stretch the rules that have been set for this committee, but I am worried. I stated earlier that we had, at the outset, established the way in which we would be working, and, Mr. Chairman, my expectation is that that will continue.
10:10 a.m.
Conservative
10:10 a.m.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
Thank you, Chair.
I think the disappointment is well expressed around this table. We are all here to work for legislation that would provide reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and pollution levels. Unfortunately, we have been very disappointed and sidetracked by attempts by the Liberal Party to delay the progress on this. As I said earlier, we seem to be stuck in a quagmire here, and we need to move forward.
To continue this game that has been orchestrated by the Liberal Party will not move us forward. It will not be fruitful, so we need to stop this. We need to refer to the steering committee to get us back on track, because this delay cannot be continued. The longer this meeting goes, the less fruitful it will be, so I would like to move that this meeting be suspended and that we refer to a steering committee to get us back on track.
10:10 a.m.
Conservative
10:10 a.m.
The Clerk
The question is whether to adjourn the meeting now, on the motion by Mr. Warawa. It's not debatable. The question has to be put forthwith.
(Motion agreed to: yeas 8; nays 4)
