Canada-China Relations Committee on Oct. 9th, 2020

[The Clerk of the Committee, Ms. Marie-France Lafleur]

Honourable members of the committee, I see that we have a quorum.

I must inform committee 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, entertain points of order or participate in debate.

We can now proceed to the election of the chair pursuant to Standing Order 106(2) and the motion that was adopted by the House on September 23, 2020. The chair must be a member of the government party.

I am now ready to receive motions for the chair.

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

I nominate, on behalf of the Liberal side, the Hon. Geoff Regan.

[The Clerk]

It has been moved by Mr. Fragiskatos that Mr. Geoff Regan be elected chair of the committee.

Are there any further motions?

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Could I move that the Hon. Geoff Regan return home, seek the leadership of the Liberal Party of Nova Scotia, and become the next premier of his great province?

[The Clerk]

I'm afraid that goes under debate.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

And he's not leaving me any time, because the deadline is today. I'd have to get 100 signatures and raise $10,000 by five o'clock, so it's a little too late, John.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

I can give you the signature, not the money.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

I appreciate it.

[The Clerk]

Seeing no further motions, I declare the motion carried, and Mr. Regan duly elected chair of the committee.

(Motion agreed to)

I invite Mr. Regan to take the virtual chair.

[The Clerk]

I invite you to take the virtual chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Thank you very much, Madam Clerk, and I thank my colleagues for their confidence. I don't know what it says about their judgment, but I appreciate it.

We can go now, Madam Clerk, to the discussion of future business.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Mr. Chong, please go ahead.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Thank you.

Congratulations, Mr. Regan, on being nominated and elected by acclamation.

I'm allowed to nominate someone for vice-chair, am I not?

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

That's important, yes.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

I nominate Mr. Genuis for the position of vice-chair of the committee.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Madam Clerk.

[The Clerk]

Pursuant to the motion adopted on September 23, 2020, the committee can also elect three vice-chairs: one from the official opposition, one from the Bloc Québécois, and one from the New Democratic Party.

It has been moved by Mr. Chong that Mr. Genuis be elected as a vice-chair of the committee.

Are there any further motions?

[Emmanuel Dubourg, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Madam Clerk, I would like to nominate Mr. Bergeron, from the Bloc Québécois, for the position of second vice-chair.

[The Clerk]

All right. No problem.

I'll get to that in just a moment.

[Emmanuel Dubourg, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Very good.

[The Clerk]

Are there any further motions on the Conservative side?

(Motion agreed to)

Congratulations, Mr. Genuis.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Mr. Harris.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Dubourg beat me to it in nominating Mr. Bergeron from the Bloc Québécois as vice-chair. I would invite someone to be kind enough to nominate me from the NDP.