Environment Committee on Feb. 26th, 2007

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Fine? Okay, I think we can then proceed to the vote on the motion before us.

(Motion agreed to)

Mr. Warawa.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Speaking on a point of order, Mr. Chair, in accordance with Standing Order 108(1)(a), I would like to append a supplementary report and would seek consent of the committee asking for 48 hours to supply that report.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Is there consent?

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

I didn't understand the question, Mr. Chair.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Mr. Warawa's asking to be able to append a minority report to the report of the committee, which is adopting this motion.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

And the minority report, Mr. Chair, then would be, I guess—

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

A dissenting opinion, obviously.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

—a reasoning opinion as to why the government members, all five of them present today, have refused to vote on this motion?

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

If Mr. Warawa wishes to comment again, he's welcome to do so, but he's not required to answer questions, as you know, Mr. McGuinty.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

It's very common, Mr. Chair.

Standing Order 108(1)(a) says: “...to print a brief appendix to any report, after the signature of the Chair, containing such opinions or recommendations, dissenting from the report or supplementary to it, as may be proposed by committee members...”. It's a very common procedure, and I would ask for consent for 48 hours.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

This takes the form of a report back to Parliament, and that's why the standing order is available, if the committee agrees, to be used for the Conservatives to add a minority report.

Mr. McGuinty.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

I have no objections, Mr. Chair. If the government want to explain in writing to Canadians why they're opposed to strengthening the role of the Commissioner of the Environment, I'd be delighted to see it.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Mr. Dewar.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

I have a question. It requires our consent, I'm understanding; otherwise you wouldn't be asking. Is that the case?

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Technically it requires the consent of the committee. I'm told that if there's a general willingness—but technically it requires the consent of the committee to do it. And I can verify what Mr. Warawa says. I have seen it done before, certainly. It's not uncommon.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

I didn't understand that it required our consent on this matter.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Okay, there is consent, and that suggests the 48 hours. We'd ask you to get it to the clerk as soon as possible.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

We will do that, Chair, at a maximum of 48 hours. We will do that as soon as possible.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Thank you very much.

If the committee is okay with that, then following the receipt of the minority report, I will table the report.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

On a procedural point of order, Mr. Chair, when will this matter or motion be reported to the House of Commons?

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Well, 48 hours from now would be approximately 5:30 on Wednesday. Hopefully it will be in advance of that. If it's tomorrow, I don't know if there'll be time to do it tomorrow morning, for 10 o'clock. If it arrives in time, I hope to do it on Wednesday at 3 o'clock, or possibly Thursday at 10 a.m. It depends on when we get it.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Chair, the norm is a maximum of 48 hours. If we can get it in sooner, we will, but it will not be longer than 48 hours.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

It depends on how long it takes to get the minority report.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

I see, so presumably the government is not going to delay an inordinate amount of time here in terms of getting this motion back to the House.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Mr. McGuinty, the point is that the standing order provides for a maximum of 48 hours, and I appreciate Mr. Warawa's assurance that he's going to try to do it in less time than that.