Environment Committee on May 3rd, 2006

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Well, yes. I think those were separate meetings, quite often.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Oh, yes, if not, there'd be no point.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Yes, and then the recommendation of the subcommittee is brought to the committee. And as I said, sometimes in my experience you then discuss everything you had discussed in the subcommittee, thus having the same meeting over again, and that's a waste of time.

[Mario Silva, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

I'm not aware of the tradition of the subcommittee because I believe we didn't have one at the heritage committee.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

No, many times you don't.

[Mario Silva, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

So I would like to propose that we do not have one—either that or I vote against the motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

I think we need to vote on this motion first and either accept or defeat it and then we can entertain your motion.

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

I'm not following you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Pardon?

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

I was only saying that I don't understand.

I'm also recalling that I think the last time we only met a couple of times; it was just to set the course, because we were dealing with such a big topic, and it will likely be similar this time. We dealt with climate change last time, and we'll likely deal with CEPA here.

I just don't remember it being burdensome, and I thought it was just.... Making decisions in a group of twelve is more difficult than making decisions in a group of five.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

I know that Lee, from our party, and who was on it last time, did find it onerous to get to those meetings, and I think that was simply his comment to me.

Again, having been on committees with both ways, I know that in one committee we just really rehashed everything again anyway, and the subcommittee was almost just hung out to dry.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

I chaired the Standing Committee on Official Languages during the last Parliament and we didn't have a subcommittee. We realized that the main committee could easily accomplish everything that needed to be done.

I agree that we have no need of a subcommittee.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Bernard.

[Bernard Bigras, Bloc, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

I thought the role of the subcommittee was to set priorities for the future. I thought it acted as the steering committee, considered future business and reported back to the main committee.

You're right, Mr. Chairman. Quite often, the subcommittee drafted the report and it was discussed by the main committee. In my view, that's one committee too many. We're quite capable of working together and setting our agenda for the future, provided we take a disciplined approach to our work. I believe we can find some way to work together effectively and set priorities. In any event, our agenda seems quite straightforward and we have a fairly limited number of sittings scheduled. I think we can all come to an agreement on a common agenda.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Mr. Warawa.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

For clarification, Mr. Chair, if the committee deemed it necessary, if this motion were removed or doesn't carry, if we want to change and create the subcommittee, that should be our option in the future. That may be the direction we want to go in.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Sure.

Are there any other comments?

So we need to vote on this. Do you want to still leave that standing?

Nathan.

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

Yes.

I'm still trying to figure out our last experience, which I can't remember, but of the members who were here before—Jeff, or others—was there ever any disgruntlement with the process or with how it worked?

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

I'm talking about a committee other than the environment committee.

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

I think with the breadth and scope of the issues that we're going to have to deal with, setting priorities for what we do first and how much time we allot.... When committee members had issues that they wanted to put on the agenda, they just approached the committee and said, “There's something in Fort McMurray I want to talk about.” It's an amiable committee. It generally works.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

So does everybody understand the motion that Mr. Cullen is presenting, that we have a subcommittee? I don't know whether you want to include the wording of last time, Nathan.

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

That's the spirit of it. It's the same idea.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

So basically we would be voting on having a clause like the one here that was read from last time.

(Motion negatived)

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

So at that, we then carry on without that subcommittee at this point, and we'll discuss the agenda in the whole committee.

We move on to reduced quorum: that the chair be authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence and to have that evidence printed when a quorum is not present, provided that at least—and we need to decide the number—members are present, including...members of the opposition.

Last time we had five and two. Would someone like to move that or something different?

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

So moved, Mr. Chair.