Environment Committee on Oct. 31st, 2006

[Maurice Vellacott, Conservative, Saskatoon—Wanuskewin, SK]

Notwithstanding the remarks of the clerk, under footnote 366, page 851, in the well-known committee book, House of Commons Procedures and Practice, Marleau and Montpetit make the point that committees have varied in their use of notice requirements.

This is why we go to the default in the chamber, which is different from committee. It's so that we have that warning. It says:

In some cases notice has been required for any substantive motion, in others only for new business, unrelated to the subject before the committee at any given time.

We have nothing with respect to distribution or dissemination of that information. In the absence of any specifics, we need to understand this one-sleep business. That's the literal....

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

I would like to comment on that, but let's hear from Mr. Cullen first.

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

It sounds like there's a motion here. To give due notice to the committee, that's what's occurring in the committee's procedure. Your comment was right. We should move on. If my motion to move forward has been defeated, then we should move on to the other orders of the day.

[Maurice Vellacott, Conservative, Saskatoon—Wanuskewin, SK]

I'm on a point of order, actually.

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

Oh, are you?

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Mr. Rodriguez, did you have a comment?

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

I simply want to say that his point of order has nothing whatever to do with Bill C-288 which we are studying today, because my motion was submitted on Thursday, thus almost five days ago, in both official languages. I simply wanted to point that out.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

That's what I suggested. I've been on the committee for five or six years, and we have never really set that 24 hours, or 22 hours. We have operated on the basis that they are submitted in a certain order. At six o'clock they must be submitted to the clerk. Then we have 24 hours. But I think members would consider a motion on this. It could then be given 24 hours, debated, and dispensed with. This way we could move on.

[Maurice Vellacott, Conservative, Saskatoon—Wanuskewin, SK]

Was Mr. Rodriguez' motion submitted 24 hours in advance, literally?

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

The clerk is saying that it was last Friday.

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

I sent it last week at 4:50 p.m.

[Maurice Vellacott, Conservative, Saskatoon—Wanuskewin, SK]

I would beg to submit at this point a notice of a motion, if the clerk could frame it, that we have this discussion in respect of the 24 hours as well as the distribution.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

You are now entering into debate, Mr. Vellacott. What you have to do is put forward a motion and circulate it to members in both official languages. Then it can be debated and voted on.

[Maurice Vellacott, Conservative, Saskatoon—Wanuskewin, SK]

Right. I was on a point of order.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Yes.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Mr. Rodriguez mentioned that he presented it five days ago.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

The clerk is telling me Thursday or Friday of last week.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Would the procedure not include having it distributed? If you've received it but it hasn't been distributed...I think in the future we could have a healthy debate on this and see what we want to adopt in the way of procedure.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

There could be a misunderstanding here. If we want to clarify that in a motion, I think we should do it. Right now the clerk has received it, and in the past this has been how we have accepted motions.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

That's fine.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

If we want to clarify it right down to the exact timing, it's up to us to do it.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

We could look at that in the future, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

I would suggest that a motion come forward. Let's debate it at that time.

Let us move on to Mr. Rodriguez' motion. Do you wish to speak to that, Mr. Rodriguez?

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

I will be brief, Mr. Chairman. It is a subject we have been discussing for a long time. I am speaking of Bill C-288. First reading was in the month of May. We then debated it. The House would like our committee to seriously study Bill C-288 and to report back to the House for third reading. That is where we are now, Mr. Chairman. In deference to the will of the House, I introduce my motion and ask that a vote be taken.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Are there any other comments?

Mr. Vellacott.