Evidence of meeting #28 for Canadian Heritage in the 39th Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was going.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Schellenberger
I'm sorry I misrepresented you, but I want to have an idea of how many meeting we're going to have.
NDP
Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Maybe I can make some suggestions, Chair.
May I ask first if the clerk has heard from any people who have requested to appear as witnesses at this point? Can you give us some sense of how many people we've heard from?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Schellenberger
It's less than 10, but I will speak to that. The other day I said I wanted each party to give me a list of about 10 witnesses, so it could be circulated--who we want to have as witnesses. If we get 1,000, who's going to make the determination? My clerk is not going to make that determination.
I know it's on Facebook.
Conservative
NDP
Conservative
NDP
Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
I think we need to go to Vancouver. We need to have a full day's session there, with as many witnesses as we can fit in during an afternoon, morning, or maybe even an evening. I think there will be quite a number of people who want to appear as witnesses.
With respect to Mr. Abbott's remarks, to say that we're going to hear only from people who listen to CBC Radio 2 and don't have any other expertise is demeaning to people interested in this issue. There will be people of the calibre of nuclear scientists who want to appear on this issue. There is a lot of interest in the importance of the CBC Radio Orchestra to Canadian culture, the cultural life of Vancouver and Canada, and the promotion of classical music in Canada. These folks are going to want to talk to this committee. These people are presenting themselves, and will continue to present themselves, as potential witnesses. I don't think the quality of witnesses is anything we should be concerned about.
It's also important to hear from folks who describe themselves as dedicated listeners to Radio 2—they're part of what we need to consider. I think there will be lot of people who can present expert testimony about the importance of the orchestra, Radio 2, and the commitment to classical music in Canada.
We should be doing this in Vancouver. We should have at least two meetings here in Ottawa, to have panels. We could have more than two presenters on a panel. We could have three or four. I've seen this work well in other committees. We could get through quite a number if we had at least that time, and if we started work the week after the recess.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Schellenberger
Mr. Del Mastro.
I won't interrupt anyone, but afterwards I will have a statement.
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
I have a simple suggestion, and I'm sure all parties would be agreeable to it.
If you set a deadline of, say, Monday for all of the parties to submit a potential witness list on Radio 2, this would give you direction on how many meetings are needed in Ottawa and Vancouver.
Right now, it's all hypothetical to say how many meetings we need. Let's get a witness list in, see how many people want to appear, and then decide how many meetings we need. This way, we'll know we have a deadline to get it done. We'll figure it out from there.
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Schellenberger
Before we go any further, I want to say that the Liaison meeting on Tuesday is the last one that's going to be held before the end of this session. We have to have a date for when we think we're going to Vancouver. What we should do around the table is, first of all, decide whether we want to go to Vancouver. I know some people think we should go and others think we shouldn't. Let's take a vote.
All those in favour of holding one meeting, at least one day meeting, in Vancouver?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gary Schellenberger
Okay, we will go forward.
Can someone give me the date that we should be going to Vancouver? It takes a bit of arranging to make sure we have our witnesses ready.
NDP
Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
What about May 30, or, if folks are amenable, May 31, the Saturday?
Conservative
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON
If members from outside British Columbia are going to go, my preference is to do it mid-week. I'm here Monday to Friday; I see my family on Saturday and Sunday. If I go to Vancouver on the Friday, I certainly will not be seeing my family on the weekend, because it's not possible for me to get back from the west coast.
Maybe we could do it on a Thursday, which would allow you to stay through the weekend. Alternatively, I'd suggest Monday. A Monday might be better, because then at least members can get to Vancouver on Sunday, attend the meetings on Monday, and then take the red-eye back to Ottawa on Tuesday.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
Mr. Chairman, I had to leave the room for a while. My colleague just told me that we are going to Vancouver on Monday, June 2. I would like to remind my colleagues that the CRTC hearings on TQS will take place on June 2. This means that I will not be able to go to Vancouver because I will be tabling a brief before the CRTC.
I am sorry to tell you only now, but I was not here earlier.
Conservative
Conservative
Jim Abbott Conservative Kootenay—Columbia, BC
I would like, if I may, Mr. Chair, in the name of equal time, to point out to Mr. Siksay that I was not suggesting that a nuclear scientist might or might not have an opinion on Radio 2. The problem is whether or not they have expertise on Radio 2. That was what I was saying. I think your characterization--
NDP
Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Does the head of the Canadian Composers' Association have expertise on this? I think so. That's all I was saying, Jim.
