Electoral Reform Committee on Oct. 20th, 2016

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Ms. May.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

I would support this entirely. I was also impressed with Professor Becker. He appears also to be prepared to continue to do work on this issue for us without expecting a contract, so I don't think there's a financial issue. It's an extremely generous offer. He will need time, because he has a day job. I would urge that we move it forward now with some wiggle language toward the end that says “and any other conditions that strike us that don't slow down his work”.

If we tell him tomorrow that we really want him to do these, he could work all weekend. I think we're down to days that matter, and I'd rather let him know thumbs up that we appreciate his civic-minded brilliance and we like his composite Gallagher index, that we really want this work, and we may have another condition to tell him about later—if Nathan can live with that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Are there any other comments?

Yes, Mr. DeCourcey.

[Matt DeCourcey, Liberal, Fredericton, NB]

I'd be happy to send this off now, and then any addition would come back to this committee in the form of a motion.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

I missed that part, about any addition.

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

If there are any further conditions that we would add, it wouldn't be just unilaterally done; the committee would have to pass it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

We send this off. We ask Mr. Weber Becker if he'll do this.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

We'll say, “We want you to design it...”.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

That's what we'll do.

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON]

Sorry, what Ms. May was saying.... I don't think Mr. DeCourcey meant it as an amendment, but you can ask him.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

...and any other condition—

[Matt DeCourcey, Liberal, Fredericton, NB]

No, there is no amendment. This would be passed as it's written now, and then if we discuss any other conditions that we want to append to this, they would come forward in the form of a new motion.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Okay.

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON]

I think that's a good idea.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

There seems to be unanimity and no need for a vote. We'll go ahead with that.

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON]

Just to be clear, it's with the 2015, not the 2011. That was my error.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Are we in camera at the moment? No.

But we'll be seeing each other on the 26th.

[The Clerk of the Committee, Ms. Christine Lafrance]

The 25th, 26th, and 27th.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

No, I mean informally getting together.

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Oh, right.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Yes, that's all. You'll be getting more information about that.

Nothing earth-shattering, but normally we discuss that in camera.

Thank you very much. Have a good weekend, everybody. We'll see you next whenever.

The meeting is adjourned.