Canadian Heritage Committee on June 21st, 2011

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Moore]

Mr. Simms.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

So if I show up and nobody shows up from the NDP, then we go ahead?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

That's correct.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Moore]

Just so we're clear, do you want to read that again, Mr. Calandra, with the revised wording?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

Sure.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Moore]

Go ahead.

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

I'll go to the second part, because I think that's the part that's causing some of the trauma.

In the case of previously scheduled meetings taking place outside of the parliamentary precinct, the committee members in attendance shall only be required to wait for 15 minutes following the designated start time of the meeting before the meeting may proceed to hear witnesses, so long as a member of the government and one member of the opposition are present.

Does that work?

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Moore]

Is there agreement on that wording?

(Motion agreed to) [See Minutes of Proceedings]

Next under principal routine motions is time for opening remarks and questioning of witnesses.

Is there any discussion on that motion?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

Sorry. That was the full motion at the end.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Moore]

Is there any discussion on time for opening remarks and questioning of witnesses?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

We're there. Okay.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Moore]

Mr. Angus.

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

I'm wondering about this ten-minute and then five-minute round. I think traditionally there was five minutes for the first round but the standard at most committees would be seven-minute rounds. We would certainly support a seven-minute introductory round with the New Democrats, Conservatives, Liberals, and then we would have to decide how we would do it for the second round. There are various models in committees. I think seven minutes is fair, rather than ten minutes. I think that would slow us down.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Moore]

Mr. Simms.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

I would agree.

I think seven minutes has always been pretty routine. I find seven minutes is good, especially if you get the other round involved now. Granted, if I'm getting only one question, then I would revert back to the ten, but I'll leave that open for now.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Moore]

Mr. Calandra.

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

I think I would agree in essence with the seven minutes, with ten minutes for opening statements and then seven minutes in the first round with the order to be, I would suggest, Conservative, NDP, Liberal, Conservative for the opening round.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

Could you say that once more, Paul?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

It would be Conservative, NDP, Liberal, and Conservative. There will be four questions in the opening round.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Moore]

Pardon?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

So the second round will be five-minute rounds. Subsequent rounds would be the same: Conservative, NDP, Conservative, NDP, just rotating through to the subsequent rounds.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Moore]

Mr. Simms.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

It wasn't a slip of the tongue, was it? I was glaringly absent from your roll call.

I can understand, to a certain degree, that I don't get every round, but this gives me only seven minutes, period, for every witness. Is that correct?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

Yes.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

I'm assuming this is a formula based on representation in the House purely on percentages.

Can I make one little intervention, and I'll leave it at that?

In the 37th Parliament, the Liberal Party of Canada had 173 seats, representing 57.5%. The Reform Conservative Alliance had 66 seats, or 21%. Every party in the 37th Parliament, including the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, received 20% of the speaking allotments in the true spirit of getting different voices from all parties--varied--to hold people accountable and get the right information. That was our majority. We never did go to the actual percentages of representation, because we felt that was fair.

I'll leave it at that.