Canadian Heritage Committee on Oct. 18th, 2012

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

The museum itself is also undertaking right now coast-to-coast consultations with Canadians with respect to what this potential new museum and the displays should encompass. Changing of the mandate of this museum won't happen by decision of this committee; it will happen through an act of Parliament. Parliament will have the opportunity to debate the matter, and Parliament is the master of legislation.

Once it is accepted, if it is, by a majority of Parliament, this committee can then review all aspects of any potential bill that comes forward and, as we have done with other pieces of legislation, we can make changes to it, if we so desire, or the committee could turn it down.

I think we should wait for the consultations to hear what Canadians have to say with respect to this. All members of Parliament can go to the website, and I assume they have, to participate in these coast-to-coast consultations. They can engage people within their ridings, and I hope they all will.

I would hope that colleagues would wait until an actual bill is before the House and fully investigate what bill is before the House before we come to any conclusions. We will do that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Moore]

Mr. Cash.

[Andrew Cash, NDP, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Chair, we just had coast-to-coast consultations on Canada's 150th birthday. In fact, we have a big, fat report on exactly the things Canadians are interested in and concerned about. This was not part of that.

The results of those consultations, one would assume, are going to be distilled by the minister and presented in Parliament in some way, shape, or form as we carry on our endeavours toward Canada 150. This was never part of it. This has come out of the blue.

As a matter of fact, as we've been working diligently here in committee, there has been other work going on that we've not been party to around a very significant piece of Canadian heritage and its direction going forward.

I think it didn't do this committee any service to have this plonked on Canadians, and on us, without any advance notice or any consultations. You want to do consultations after the fact on something you've already decided on, and that seems to be not the way the process should work.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Moore]

Mr. Calandra.

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

Mr. Chair, perhaps Mr. Cash is misunderstanding. The mandate of the museum will not be changed without an act of Parliament. Right now consultations are being undertaken by the museum from coast to coast to hear what Canadians have to say about this idea of recognizing Canada's history through the Canadian Museum of Civilization. After those consultations are done, the minister will come forward with legislation that he thinks Parliament should have an opportunity to debate.

Nothing has been decided. It's actually your job, as a member of Parliament, after the legislation has been tabled in Parliament, to read it over, see whether you like it, maybe propose some amendments, talk either for or against it, bring it here in front of this committee—that's the job that we actually do—and then propose witnesses who can talk for it or against it. Then as a committee we'll decide as a whole whether we agree or disagree with certain parts of the bill, or whether there should be amendments to the bill.

In fact, what has been done is that Parliament—Canadians—have been put at the front of the line and are being asked for their opinions before legislation is brought forward. Are you asking us to now go back and do the legislation first? That's not the process. That's why we're going through coast-to-coast consultations with Canadians.

We've presented an idea that we hope members of Parliament will take a look at when legislation is brought forward and they are asked for their approval, yes or no. This committee will have, I hope, more than one day to study this, to question the minister, to bring in the director of the museum and other people who might be a part of this museum, and get their rationale for bringing this forward. Then Parliament will make a decision together.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Moore]

Mr. Cash.

[Andrew Cash, NDP, Davenport, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Look. This motion is about open transparency and accountability vis-à-vis a decision that was announced already, one that we were not party to. I think Canadians would like to know how it is and in what order this decision was made.

We've spent a year on a study, and the first major announcement had nothing to do with the study. Canadians deserve better than that from the money they spend on this committee and deserve one day to look at that matter.

I hear all of the other things you're saying, and they're fair enough, about what we're going to do once this legislation is tabled. That's not what we're talking about here. We're talking about the sequence of events that led to this decision.

I would like to call the vote. Can I do that, or is that you? I don't want to take your job away.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Moore]

Those in favour of the motion please signify.

(Motion negatived)

[An hon. member]

I move to adjourn.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Moore]

Is it the will of the committee to adjourn?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Moore]

The meeting is adjourned.