Environment Committee on May 8th, 2007

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

I was away when that discussion on future business was held. Since that time, the government introduced its regulatory framework on climate change. New subjects have come up which, in my view, might justify us changing the agenda established a few weeks ago. These are not minor issues. We are talking here about the national climate change plan of the government.

In view of those major new items, we should be entitled to at least have a proper discussion on our future work.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Okay. I think the way to bring this to a conclusion would be that we do one of two things: we have a formal motion to change our orders, so that we set up a steering committee and convene a meeting officially and have it, or we proceed with these motions. We'll do one or the other.

I think we'll start with Mr. Cullen. You've heard the comments; I don't think we need to keep discussing around that issue.

Mr. Cullen.

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

I come back: I will not need to move my motion if the four or five of us can sit down and figure this thing out and work through it. People are running over time now. I don't see any proposed delay, in terms of my suggestion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

I think we have some agreement to that.

Mr. Godfrey, you had a comment.

[John Godfrey, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

With all respect here, I don't think you need to create a formal steering committee if there's a consensus of this group that, for purposes of planning, a designated number of people come together on this for this purpose. If everybody agrees, that's a useful way of moving forward. I don't think you have to create a precedent or anything else; you just have to have agreement amongst the committee.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Here's a comment from the clerk at this point: that to proceed and to follow Mr. Bigras' wishes to have the clerks here and have translation here basically could be accommodated through a steering committee, where we had a formal structure. Without it, of course, it would have to be an informal meeting of the four or five of us to accomplish this schedule.

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

Just to be clear on what the clerk is suggesting, is it that if it's informal, then we have no translation? If what we need to do is move a formal motion to create this committee, even if it's just interim, then I'll move the motion to get this out of here, to get some good translation, and to do it properly. I don't know whether I need to formally present that in text or whether the committee can understand exactly what I'm saying.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

We can do it right now.

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

Okay. In order to afford translation services and all the rest, I will move that motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Yes, Mr. Regan.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

I'd like to know whether you're telling me that on Parliament Hill we can't arrange an informal meeting with translation. Is that really the case? It's a little hard to believe.

[The Clerk of the Committee, Mr. Justin Vaive]

A group of members can get together and on their own arrange for the translation of a proceeding or a meeting they might have. But in order to call a subgroup together and ensure that all the services you're used to having at a committee are present in order to transact a proceeding, we need a formal structure such as the steering committee. That's why it comes up in the routine motions at the beginning of each session, explicitly asking the members whether they want a steering committee or not, precisely in order to get together as a smaller group.

Obviously, if members of the committee want to get together informally and arrange for whatever sort of translation you might want—say, in the chair's office or some other location—you're always free to do that, and I can provide whatever assistance I could in that regard to facilitate it. But in order to actually have the subgroup come together to talk about these things, we would probably need a more formalized structure, which would be a formal steering committee.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Mr. Bigras, if we have translation, would that be adequate? You don't need the other services.

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

It seems to me that a motion calling clearly for a meeting of the steering committee, tomorrow afternoon at the latest, in order to discuss our future business would solve the problem.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Mr. Cullen, do you modify your motion to fit that?

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

Yes, I want to make it as simple as possible. It is that the committee strike a formal subcommittee to meet and discuss future committee business. Let's just get on with it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Those in favour?

Go ahead, Mr. McGuinty.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Yes, let's just make sure, Mr. Chair, that we're going to meet by 4 tomorrow afternoon, with translation, please. Can we do that?

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Can we accomplish that?

I don't think we need any more discussion about the motion. My goodness, guys.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Can we meet tomorrow by 4, with a room?

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

I think Mr. Cullen's motion, just to make it clear, is that he's suggesting that we create a steering committee. Mr. McGuinty adds that we meet by 4 tomorrow, and we can do that. So that's what we're voting on. If that's acceptable, then that's what we're going to do.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

We will advise you of that meeting.

The meeting is adjourned.