Environment Committee on June 14th, 2007

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

So the other suggestion earlier that Mr. McGuinty apologize to him, because he is in fact the one who has unilaterally changed things here in terms of the intent of the motion.... They got their day, but they've changed it in terms of the full intent of it. Is that not in order, then, for Mr. McGuinty's name to be inserted at that point?

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

I think I tend to agree with the clerk that we have two pretty fundamentally different issues here, so I think you would have to make a separate motion.

It sounds interesting, but I don't think we can follow that line.

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

Well, on the record then, I will not be putting a separate motion forward, but I certainly would be of the view either to amend or insert McGuinty's name insofar as he was the one who unilaterally changed the whole agenda for today by way of these motions.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

I think my ruling on that would be that we'd deal with that as a separate motion altogether.

I think on the main motion, which is what we're dealing with, Mr. Scarpaleggia, you were...?

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

No, I think I'll pass.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Mr. Warawa.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

We're about to vote on a motion and I'd like to read it:

that this committee call upon the chair to apologize to the committee for unilaterally rewriting today's agenda in a manner contradicting the expressed will of the committee.

Chair, you've very clearly shared the rationale why you made the decisions you did. You had the authority to do that. You did it in good faith. You shared that you were not influenced by anybody but you made those decisions. Chair, I have full confidence in you as chair but you've expressed this as a confidence motion.

I've asked Mr. McGuinty on two different occasions to please remove this. An analogy that I picture is a bully with his foot on your throat saying “Apologize”.

I hope this committee will not force this, because you're considering this as a confidence motion. I have full confidence in you and would ask again for Mr. McGuinty to please remove this. I believe you've been very fair and will continue to be fair and...please do not bully the chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Mr. McGuinty, you were on our list here at one point. I'm not sure if we....

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Call the vote.

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

I just have one question.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Call the vote.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Mr. Vellacott.

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

In the event that the chair, Mr. Mills, chooses not to follow through with this particular edict of Mr. McGuinty, what transpires at that point? That is the question.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Again, the clerk advises me it's calling upon me. I think I've made more than clear what my position is and what I consider this as, so I can't be clearer.

Any other comments? Those in favour of the motion?

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Okay, I guess I'm finished.

[The Clerk]

Members of the committee, I'd just like to read this passage, on page 830, of Marleau and Montpetit. It says:

In the event of resignation or removal of the Chair from the committee, a new Chair must be elected before the committee can take up other business.

We'll be proceeding to that now.

As I said, we can now proceed to the election of the chair. I'm ready to receive motions to that effect.

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

The standard practice at this committee is that the chair come from the Conservative benches. That's correct?

[The Clerk]

That is correct.

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

Okay. So my question is, if we have no one moderating this meeting, which of the—

[The Clerk]

I don't have the authority to recognize anybody. You need to discuss amongst yourselves.

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

Committee members, in order to proceed with any discussion on environmental topics, in order to hear our witnesses who are on the line today, I ask that one of the Conservative members step forward and assume the chair.

There's no recognition, Mark. You speak if you wish to.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

I have full confidence in Bob Mills as the chair, and unfortunately he was voted against. But I disagreed with that motion, and I will be only supporting Bob Mills at this time.

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

I understand that, Mark, but in order to proceed with the issues that are presented before us here at committee today, the tradition has been that the government assumes the chairmanship or chairwomanship of the committee.

I would implore one of the Conservative members here present to position themselves in the chair, at least for today, until we can sort this out, in order to hear the witnesses.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

I consider the action taken as the action of a bully and I will not be nominated to the chair.

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

So the question goes to your colleagues, then--Maurice, Luc, or Mike.

We've talked a great deal about time wasted. We've just been through two hours. We seek to have some sort of forward progress on the environment.

Will any of you take up the chair?