Evidence of meeting #37 for Canadian Heritage in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was subamendment.
A recording is available from Parliament.
2:25 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
Mr. Manly, if I may finish.... I'm the type of farmer who truly believes in free-ranging, but I'm afraid you're just going to have to stay on this farm. You can't leave the farm; I'm sorry.
You were drifting madly off in different directions for a moment, so I'm going to have to ask you to restrain yourself. You still have the floor, so please go ahead.
2:25 p.m.
Green
Paul Manly Green Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC
We are talking about a subamendment that exempts algorithms. I'm just saying that I don't think this information should be exempt. This information should be available. That's my point, and I think I've made it fairly clear.
Thank you.
2:30 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Mr. Chairman, I'm going to try to stay on the farm here, but I just had some procedural things that I wanted to raise. Of course, we now are an hour and a half into the meeting, and we haven't gotten past one relatively simple amendment.
One of the issues, which seems to be a sticking point, is the very long delay for translation. I could have translated the document five times now since we received it from Mr. Aitchison.
Would it be possible at all, Mr. Chair—and I know it's very hard logistically—to have a translator available when the committee is doing clause-by-clause? For example, we're lucky enough to have a terrific clerk and a terrific legislative clerk here. Could we also, perhaps, ask if we could have a translator here so that nothing would be slowed down to this extent simply because somebody proposes a subamendment? This is really a long wait to receive a translation. It's now been 45 minutes since Mr. Aitchison proposed it.
Finishing that up, I believe that the translation is actually okay with respect to the way the clause is. Other than the lines being wrong in the French version, the actual translation is okay.
It's just a suggestion, Mr. Chair, for the next time, if we could.
2:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
Mr. Housefather, with all due respect, this is not in any way disparaging towards your abilities to translate, but I'm afraid it's not your job to do so. We have a process here. We have people who are hired. They are experts in the field. It is exclusive to them to do this type of work.
We passed this motion to have it quality-checked by our translation bureau, as put forward by Mr. Champoux. The committee accepted that, and we're going to do that.
In saying that, I have endeavoured to look at the possibility of providing someone on a full-time basis. I will continue to look for that. It does have some precedent because I've seen it happen before, so I'm going to look into that. Thank you for that.
Now, that's all the bad news. The good news is that we have it. I should have led with that. I didn't mean to bury the lead, but we do have it.
I'm going to ask the clerk to now distribute it.
Mr. Méla.
2:30 p.m.
Legislative Clerk
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I just forwarded the amendment to my colleague. I want to point out that the translator translated literally—not literally, because she's a legal translator—what the amendment of Mr. Aitchison would look like in French, if that would be of any help.
The first vote would be on the underlined parts, which are the subamendments. If these are adopted, then the whole thing would be voted on, which would become the amendment as amended.
I hope that was clear.
2:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
Yes. I want to see some nodding heads and a thumbs-up if you have received the correspondence we received.
Looking around, I may be so bold to say that we have a pretty genuine understanding right now of what it is we're talking about.
Mr. Rayes.
2:30 p.m.
Conservative
Alain Rayes Conservative Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
Mr. Chair, you may think that I can't let this go, but the English version I've just received includes subamendments 1 and 4, while the French version contains only the information for subamendment 1. The two versions don't match. I'd like my colleagues to tell me whether I'm the only one not to have received the right version.
Perhaps my friend Mr. Housefather could tell me if I'm wrong?
2:30 p.m.
Liberal
2:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
Wait one second, please.
Mr. Housefather, do you want to comment on that?
2:30 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
I'm sorry, Mr. Chair.
I was just seeing the same thing. Subamendment 4 is included in the English version. Mr. Rayes is correct, but he can just disregard subamendment 4, I think, because subamendment 1 is there in English and subamendment 1 is there in French.
2:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
That is correct. To be quite honest, because I'm staring at the screen trying to farm my farm, I haven't seen it. I'm assuming that yes, subamendment 4....
Mr. Regan.
2:35 p.m.
Liberal
Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS
Mr. Chair, would I be correct in thinking that subamendment 4 has not been moved?
2:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
That is correct, because you can't move a second subamendment when we're still on the other subamendment. What you're reading of course is just....
Mr. Méla, go ahead.
2:35 p.m.
Legislative Clerk
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I just sent my colleague a cleaner version where you have only subamendment 1 in English and subamendment 1 in French. It should come to you shortly.
2:35 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
I apologize, Mr. Méla. We want to get it correct.
I'd like to draw your attention to the fact that, unfortunately, you have once again left the explanation added by the Conservative party at the bottom of the English version of the subamendment. There are accordingly some superfluous lines, explaining that it's the most important and relevant subamendment from the Conservatives. This explanation should be deleted.
2:35 p.m.
Legislative Clerk
Another email is going to be sent to you shortly. Ignore the first one.
In the new one, you'll just have the subamendment in English and the subamendment in French underneath, and that's it. There's nothing else.
2:35 p.m.
Liberal
2:35 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
No, Mr. Chair, I don't want to prolong it. I just didn't receive that one yet. I received the new one that does have the explanations, so I received a second time something that does have the explanation. I just want to make clear that the explanation is not part of the subamendment.
2:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
That's correct. That's what we're endeavouring to do right now. Thank you.
Mr. Waugh.
2:35 p.m.
Conservative
Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK
Thanks, Mr. Chair.
We apologize for the Conservative angle on this. It is Friday. Usually that's not included.
Anyway, we apologize for that explanation.