Canadian Heritage Committee on May 30th, 2006

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

They're not formal; they're informal meetings.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

I just wanted to put that on the record.

Again, I will restate my reasons for voting against sending a delegation at this time.

It's not that at some date in the future I wouldn't find this to be quite helpful for myself and for the committee, but I'm just in the process of completing reading through the Lincoln report. It's exceedingly helpful, and as I mentioned in my response to Mr. Bélanger's motion today, there are a number of recommendations that I support in that report.

I find that particular study, which is 800 pages long, comprehensive. It provides us with much of the information that we would base our decisions on, and given the fact that there may be a motion going to the minister referring that report to her for a response within 120 days, this trip, in my opinion, is premature. It's not that I oppose it in principle; I just oppose it at this point in time.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Okay, Mr. Fast, what we'll do, then, to answer Mr. Angus, is have a show of hands of those who would be going to Banff.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

In our case, I believe Ms. Dhalla and Mr. Scarpaleggia also had indicated an interest in going.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

That's four--

[Jim Abbott, Conservative, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

I would have to go.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Yes, and I would have to go. There would be seven of us, and four.

What would we have to do, then, to change this? Can you put a budget together? Can you change the budget somewhat?

[The Clerk]

Yes. We will subtract three members and then we'll come up with a better figure.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

I need it for--

[The Clerk]

Thursday.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Submit for the whole group, and those who don't go don't show, then, as an expense.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Then that's what we'll do. We'll go for the whole group.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

For confirmation, what are the official dates we're looking at now?

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

June 11, 12, and 13.

What we'll do is present a budget for $50,815, and it will be adjusted if those three people don't go. If we are three or four people short, it will be adjusted when things are finished.

The motion, then, is:

That the proposed travel budget in the amount of $50,815 for the Committee's meetings with the stakeholders of the television, broadcasting, and film industry during the Banff World Television Festival be adopted and that the chair present the said budget to the budget subcommittee of the liaison committee.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

Can we have a recorded vote, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

We can have a recorded vote if you want.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

Yes, please.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

You're not going to be sending ten percenters into each other's ridings now, are you?

(Motion agreed to: yes 6; nays 4)

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

We'll take that Thursday to the Liaison Committee.

Now we get to Mr. Kotto's motion. It reads as follows:

That pursuant to Standing Order 32(5) on reports and returns, the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage forward a copy of the documents to the members of the Committee.

[Jim Abbott, Conservative, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

May I ask for some clarification, Mr. Kotto? I am just curious. I'm trying to get our process here. Considering that it was a matter of asking if we could have a copy of the Lincoln report and the various reports, what was your thought process in coming forward with a formal motion to do that? I'm not being critical.

[Maka Kotto, Bloc, Saint-Lambert, QC]

It is the rules that require this. At the beginning of a new legislature, it is normal practice to supply to all committee members the documents pertaining to the work accomplished in the previous legislature. You could have moved the same motion. I am not seeking any glory in this; it is a simple procedural matter.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Okay. I would like a bit of clarification. The Canadian broadcasting system--that's the Lincoln report, correct?

[Maka Kotto, Bloc, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

I know the first time we got a response from the ministry, it was three pages in English and three pages in French. Then we reintroduced that last year, and did we not get a stack back about like that? Would we not get that same thing back?

My suggestion is that I don't think, other than if someone got a copy of the response.... Is that all you're looking for--a copy of the last response we had, to be distributed to everyone, or do you want to get another...?

[Maka Kotto, Bloc, Saint-Lambert, QC]

I do not think that these are responses. These are documents: the Lincoln report and the report on film that we produced. I believe that this was distributed to all MPs, especially those newly elected and the new members on the Committee.

The motion that follows deals with the point you make, with the Canadian film industry. This motion deals with tabling a report in the House in order to obtain a response from the minister.