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

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I appreciate that, because I'm looking for a way to do this quickly. I will say, “Is it agreed or are there objections?” In other words, if you object, I expect you to raise your hand, and then I'll give you the chance to speak. Does that sound like a good way to do this? Okay.

Are there any objections?

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

Let's go on to the next one.

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

The next is on meeting without a quorum:

That the chair be authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence and to have that evidence printed when a quorum is not present, provided that at least four members are present, including two members of the opposition and two members of the government, but when travelling outside the parliamentary precinct, that the meeting begin after 15 minutes, regardless of members present.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Are there any objections?

(Motion agreed to)

Mr. Fragiskatos, go on to the next one, please.

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

On the time for opening remarks and questioning of witnesses, it reads as follows: “That witnesses be given five minutes”—it was previously 10 minutes—“for their opening statements; that, at the discretion of the Chair, during the questioning of witnesses, there be allocated six (6) minutes for the first questioner of each party as follows: Round 1: Conservative Party, Liberal Party, Bloc Québécois, New Democratic Party.

For the second and subsequent rounds, the order and time for questioning be as follows: Conservative Party, five (5) minutes; Liberal Party, five (5) minutes; Conservative Party, five (5) minutes; Liberal Party, five minutes; Bloc Québécois, two and a half (2.5) minutes; New Democratic Party, two and a half (2.5) minutes. ”

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Are there any objections or amendments?

I see Mr. Harris, and then Mr. Genuis.

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

I would like to amend the second round provisions in accordance with the decision that the PROC committee made on September 28, that the second round offer the following rotation: the Conservative Party, five minutes; Liberal Party, five minutes; Bloc Québécois, two and a half minutes; New Democratic Party, two and a half minutes; Conservative Party, five minutes; and Liberal Party, five minutes.

This has been adopted by some of the other committees and I would urge that we do that. It's deemed to be fairer to all of the parties, given that sometimes the burden falls upon the Bloc Québécois and the NDP to lose time at the end, especially if we're squeezed for time due to the number of witnesses.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

We have a proposed amendment.

Mr. Genuis, do you wish to speak to the proposed amendment?

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

I was going to propose that same amendment if Mr. Harris hadn't.

Yes, this is what I understand has been discussed and agreed on. We have had the experience at this committee as well of losing some time at the end. When you only have that two and a half-minute slot, I understand that it's something to lose when you are already starting with a little less time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Mr. Bergeron, the floor is yours.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Montarville, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

My comment is along precisely the same lines. In light of the committee's decisions before Parliament was prorogued and in the spirit of co-operation, I'd like us to go back to that method. Obviously, I wholeheartedly and without reservation second the amendment put forward by the member from the New Democratic Party.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I don't see any other hands up, so I'll ask if there are any objections to Mr. Harris' amendment.

I see that Mr. Oliphant wishes to speak.

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

I am not objecting to the amended rotation on the second round. I want to signal that I would like not to go right to a vote on the amended motion because I'd like to comment on the time for opening remarks.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Okay, the question is whether that's within the amendment or not. I'm not sure it is.

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

I don't believe it's in the amendment, but sometimes we go from the amendment right to the motion. I want to raise a question about the amended motion, once it's done.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Okay.

First, let's deal with the motion to amend.

(Amendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

Now we can go back to the main motion as amended.

Mr. Oliphant.

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

I want to check on the change in the opening remarks from 10 minutes to five minutes. I want to ensure that there is some ability for the chair to have flexibility on that. There will be times when there is a sole witness on a panel and there will be times when there are three or four witnesses on a panel. I would think we are doing a disservice to our witnesses by saying that. If there are only two witnesses, it may be appropriate to have seven and a half minutes each or 10 minutes each.

I want to check the wording to make sure that the chair has discretion to manage our time in that normal first part of an hour of a session. I just want to have it reread to make sure that it's not absolutely always five minutes. I think that would be a disservice.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Mr. Fragiskatos, could you read that part?

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

Sure. I think what Mr. Oliphant has put there is quite reasonable, but I'll read it again: “That witnesses be given five”—it was previously 10—“minutes for their opening statements; that, at the discretion of the Chair, during the questioning of witnesses, there be allocated six (6) minutes for the first questioner”, and so on.

The pertinent part is what I just read out.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I don't detect discretion in the hands of the chair in that regard, Mr. Oliphant.

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

Yes, the discretion part came later.

I would like to propose an amendment. I could do it whichever way the committee likes. We could add the word “normally”, so that it would say “normally be five minutes”; that gives discretion to the chair to move it around.

I just think you need this ability; otherwise, it doesn't work.

I move to add “normally”.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Mr. Harris, do you wish to speak to this particular amendment?

Mr. Genuis also put his hand up.

Mr. Harris.

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

I want to support the amendment but perhaps make it a little broader.

Yesterday, at the public safety committee meeting, we gave the discretion to the chair up front and mentioned five to seven minutes—again with the same discussion about its depending upon how many witnesses you had. If you have three witnesses, maybe five minutes is appropriate, but if you have only one witness, 10 minutes might be okay, depending whether it's a one and a half hour meeting or a one-hour session.

I think the committee has had enough experience with the chair to be willing to accept the chair's use of his discretion wisely. I think it is quite appropriate for us to do this.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Well, I'm shocked to hear that, but I'll go to Mr. Genuis now.

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

Let me put a concrete suggestion on the table. Let's amend the motion by adding a line—it could be at the very end of the motion—saying that the chair be authorized to adjust the time of the opening statement in consultation with the vice-chairs.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Are there any objections to that? I guess this is another option.

Rather than get into the question of whether this is an amendment of your motion, Rob, I think we should deal with Mr. Genuis' proposal, and if it's accepted, we can go from there, I think.