Canada-China Relations Committee on Jan. 20th, 2020

[The Clerk of the Committee, Ms. Christine Holke]

Honourable members of the committee, I see a quorum.

I must inform members that the clerk of the committee can only receive motions for the election of the chair. The clerk cannot receive other types of motions, cannot entertain points of order nor participate in debate.

We can now proceed to the election of the Chair.

Pursuant to the motion adopted by the House of Commons on December 10, 2019, the Chair must be a member of the government party.

I am ready to receive motions for the Chair.

Ms. Zann, you have the floor.

[Lenore Zann, Liberal, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Thank you.

I would like to suggest Geoff Regan.

[The Clerk]

It has been moved by Ms. Zann that Mr. Regan be elected as Chair of the committee.

Are there any further motions?

Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?

(The motion was adopted.)

[The Clerk]

I declare the motion carried and Mr. Regan duly elected Chair of the committee.

[Some hon. members]

Hear! Hear!

[The Clerk]

I invite Mr. Regan to take the chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Thank you very much, colleagues. I'm not accustomed to acclamations.

Mr. Doherty, just before I go to you, if the committee's in agreement, I invite the clerk to proceed with the election of the vice-chairs.

[The Clerk]

Pursuant to the motion adopted by the House of Commons on December 10, 2019, the committee has one vice-chair from the official opposition, one vice-chair from the Bloc Québécois and one vice-chair from the New Democratic Party.

I am now prepared to receive motions for the vice-chair from the official opposition.

Madame Alleslev.

[Leona Alleslev, Conservative, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

I would like to propose Chris Warkentin.

[The Clerk]

It has been moved by Ms. Alleslev that Mr. Warkentin be elected as vice-chair from the official opposition.

Are there any further motions?

Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?

(Motion agreed to)

I declare the motion carried and Mr. Warkentin duly elected vice-chair from the official opposition.

I am now prepared to receive motions for the Vice-Chair from the Bloc québécois.

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

I am very pleased to move that Mr. Bergeron be elected Vice-Chair of the committee.

[The Clerk]

It has been moved by Mr. Oliphant that Mr. Bergeron be elected as Vice-Chair from the Bloc québécois.

Are there any further motions?

(The motion was adopted.)

[The Clerk]

I declare the motion carried and that Mr. Bergeron is duly elected Vice-Chair from the Bloc québécois.

I am now prepared to receive motions for the vice-chair from the New Democratic Party.

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

I am so pleased to be here today, and I move that the vice-chair be held by Jack Harris.

[The Clerk]

It has been moved by Ms. Blaney that Mr. Harris be elected as vice-chair from the New Democratic Party.

Are there any other motions?

Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?

(Motion agreed to)

I declare the motion carried and Mr. Harris duly elected vice-chair from the New Democratic Party.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Mr. Fragiskatos.

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, London North Centre, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and congratulations. I'll take this opportunity to say how much I look forward to working with colleagues across the way and certainly on this side of the table.

I understand, Mr. Chair, that there's been discussion among the parties to introduce routine motions. I want to take the opportunity to do that now.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

You can go ahead and do that.

Mr. Doherty.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Before we do that, I would just say that there is considerable interest in this by Canadians from coast to coast to coast. Indeed, we have a full gaggle of media outside the doors.

I move that for the rest of this meeting, prior to the routine motions, we invite our friends in from the media and televise the rest of this meeting.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Ms. Alleslev.

[Leona Alleslev, Conservative, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

I would like to move a motion as well, but I'm not clear. Do you want me to move that motion now?

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

We have a motion before the committee. We don't debate the question of whether to televise or not. We simply vote on that.

Then we'll go on from there. I did recognize Mr. Fragiskatos first.

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

Can I ask a question of the chair with respect to this?

My understanding was that there had been discussion among the whips of the parties and there was agreement just in the last hour or so that the meeting would be televised, that we would have the House of Commons television cameras. If the crew is available to do that camera work, that is usually the preference. I understand that if the House of Commons facilities for television are available, that is what is then allowed, and that is the standard procedure of committees.

I might want the chair to check that with the clerk, because I don't think it is in order to have a motion with respect to bringing in outside cameras when House of Commons cameras are available.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I'm advised, as previously noted, that there is interest from a network to carry this. The House is ready to televise the committee in the usual way if there is agreement to do that, but Mr. Doherty's motion is properly before the committee.

As there was no chair, the clerk made arrangements to have that ready if that was the will of the committee.

Mr. Doherty, is that acceptable to you in relation to what you are seeking here today?

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Yes, Mr. Chair.