Environment Committee on Nov. 15th, 2007

[The Clerk]

I think I have the wording:

That no member be given a second opportunity to ask questions until all members have had an opportunity to ask questions.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

It's the word “opportunity” that's the critical thing here, I think.

(Amendment agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

In terms of the main motion....

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

I have an amendment.

I would like to add the following:

That when a minister appears, the minister be required to take 45 minutes of questions for each 15 minutes of presentation.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Having been there and done that, and having ministers who were very skilled at spending one and three quarter hours with their presentation, I fully understand what your motion is, Mr. Godfrey.

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

Three times that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Are there any comments about that amendment?

I always thought, if I were a minister, gosh, I've learned enough here to take two hours.

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

That's what this is all about.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

I'll have ministers phoning me now.

Anyway, can you impose that on a minister? I think that could be a whole new debate.

I can suggest to the minister that he be brief--I would certainly be willing to do so--and leave the maximum time for questioning. But I rather wonder if I'm about to be able to say that they “only” have 15 minutes of presentation.

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

No, they have 15 minutes--

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

We certainly can to witnesses.

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

No, no: they can have 30 minutes, but they have to wait around for 90 minutes. It's three times thirty. It's just a complete ratio.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

The clerk is advising me I can impose that on the minister.

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

The precedent was set in the finance committee today as well. They passed a similar motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

I mean, we can pass the motion. Whether we can enforce the motion.... You might have a vice-chair that day.

Yes, Mr. Warawa.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

From your comments, through you to the clerk, is the motion in order?

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Is the motion in order?

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

We have it for witnesses.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Yes, we do.

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

It's the same thing. He's a witness.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Basically, if we listen to what the Speaker has said many times, committees set up what they want and are masters of their own fate. I've always sort of operated under those terms.

Again, I simply caution members that imposing some of these things might become a bit difficult.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

That's my follow-up question: is it enforceable?

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chairman, if the minister is aware of this rule before he comes, then he can indicate to the committee when he arrives how long he has to be with the committee. This would mean that if he has two hours, then at 30 minutes you would tell him, “I'm sorry, Minister, but your time is up, and now it's time for questions”, the same way you would with any other witness.

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

Yes, as he would with any other witness.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

If he can only be here for an hour--we should ask him when he begins, obviously, and ask him to state that--then at 15 minutes you can say, “Thank you very much, Mr. Minister, now we'll have questions.”