Evidence of meeting #82 for Canadian Heritage in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was connectivity.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Kevin Waugh
What are we going to do on the 29th then? What is the wish of the committee when we come back on Monday, the 29th?
Go ahead, Mr. Bittle.
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Kevin Waugh
Madam Chair, I know we're going to talk about connectivity and I know you had problems getting in here today, so that seems appropriate. However, we're talking about Monday the 29th. Unfortunately, the minister's father has passed away. Mr. Rodriguez will not be available on the 29th.
4:05 p.m.
An hon. member
Maybe....
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Kevin Waugh
Yes, maybe.
We're just talking about the 29th.
I will give Mr. Bittle a chance to take the floor now if you don't mind, Madam Chair.
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
Chris Bittle Liberal St. Catharines, ON
Thank you. Excellent.
I would propose that we continue with the presumption.... I know that Pablo wants to be here, to appear. In the event that he doesn't, perhaps it's a good opportunity to have committee business because we have so much. I know there are a lot of discussions that need to happen on sport.
This meeting is being cut short because of votes and this discussion, so I think we can be productive either way—if Pablo can or cannot attend.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Kevin Waugh
Is there any feedback from anyone about the 29th?
I'm going to give you, Madam Chair, the floor, and I will go sit in my seat and behave myself for the rest of the meeting.
Thank you.
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Kevin, thank you so much.
I am actually at this meeting through my phone because my Surface Pro has decided it doesn't like me and will not connect. I'm connected through my phone, which is very interesting.
Anyway, I think Chris is suggesting something doable. If the minister cannot come on the 29th, we can do what we were going to do on June 1, which is witnesses for the first hour and a committee meeting for the second hour, in camera. Then maybe on June 1 the minister can come.
I don't know what people think about that. It's just switching things, clearly without any big problems involved. Can I entertain discussion?
There's nobody with their hand up. No one wants to say anything.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK
Madam Chair, we're going to ask the clerk to confirm all this.
If you don't mind, go ahead, Mike.
4:05 p.m.
The Clerk
Good afternoon, Dr. Fry. I was just speaking with some of the members. We have a couple of organizations confirmed for the Thursday. If we can find a witness or two to fill in on Monday, we could also have Mr. Bittle's suggestion of committee business, perhaps immediately following any witnesses we have for the Monday.
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
That would be fine. We have people who can come, so let's do it, whatever is possible, so that the minister.... However, we need to fill in the 29th.
Can we not just switch the witnesses who are due in on June 1 and the committee business for one hour? Can we not just do that? Is that possible, Mike?
4:05 p.m.
The Clerk
We will look into the scheduling and find something that fits.
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
I think on June 1 we have, possibly, the Canadian Olympic group, and then we have the fencing, if I'm not mistaken. That is an hour, and then we are going to committee business for the second hour. Can we do that on the 29th?
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK
Madam Chair, I'm going to wrap this up because we have guests in front of us.
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Actually, I thought I was taking over the chairing of the meeting, Kevin.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK
Mr. Champoux has his hand up.
You're in a tough position today because of connectivity, so I'll just back you up. I do see Martin Champoux, who has a comment to make.
4:10 p.m.
Bloc
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
Madam Chair, as our vice-chair said, your Internet connection seems to be having some trouble. The weather on the west coast must be beautiful; the sun and nice weather are really giving your Internet connection a hard time.
I want to come back to the issue of witnesses and their availability for June 1. My colleague, Mr. Lemire, who is with me today, just confirmed that Judge Aquilina would also be available on May 29. Therefore, if it's the will of the committee, it's possible to move some witness appearances from June 1 to May 29. It could make conducting other business easier.
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
4:10 p.m.
The Clerk
Yes.
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
All right. That sounds like a plan.
If we have the committee meeting in camera on that same day, it will tell us where we are going to go next. We would have set a plan. We would have been able to have put a box around things. When the minister can come, hopefully.... He has promised that he will.
4:10 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
I want to mention two things.
First, I don't think your connection is good enough. It is somewhat unstable. Since we really have to protect our interpreters, who do extremely important work, I think it's better to give the chair to Mr. Waugh today, who is in the room.
Second, I think with the witnesses we have, we should continue this discussion—