Evidence of meeting #1 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:35 p.m.
The Clerk of the Committee Mr. Normand Radford
Honourable members, honorables députés, I see a quorum.
We can now proceed to the election of the chair.
We can now proceed to the election of the chair. I am ready to receive motions to that effect.
Mr. Warawa.
3:35 p.m.
Conservative
3:35 p.m.
The Clerk
Mr. Mills has been nominated as chair. Are there any other motions?
I declare Mr. Mills elected as chair of the standing committee.
3:35 p.m.
Some hon. members
Hear, Hear.
3:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
Just remember, I once spoke for four days in the House. You don't want to ask for a speech.
3:35 p.m.
The Clerk
Congratulations.
3:35 p.m.
The Clerk
I'm now prepared to receive motions for the first vice-chair.
3:35 p.m.
The Clerk
Mr. Regan has been nominated for first vice-chair.
3:35 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
3:35 p.m.
The Clerk
I'm now ready to receive a motion for the second vice-chair.
Monsieur Lussier.
3:35 p.m.
The Clerk
Monsieur Bigras has been nominated as second vice-chair.
3:35 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
3:35 p.m.
The Clerk
Thank you. That's it.
3:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
We'll have the clerk pass out the routine motions and we'll try to go through those and set up the rules for the committee.
I believe, as in the past, we can deal with these in the order they appear on the routine motion sheet.
On the first one, the use of the Library of Parliament, I did warn Tim that this could be a very controversial one and we may debate this for some time, but he's sitting there on pins and needles waiting.
I think all of you understand this.
Mr. Regan.
November 15th, 2007 / 3:35 p.m.
Liberal
Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS
Mr. Chairman, do we have a copy of the routine motions that we had in the last session? Is that available for members to look at to compare this to?
3:35 p.m.
Liberal
Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS
Thank you.
It's very controversial, no question.
Mr. Chairman, the first one on services of analysts from the Library of Parliament appears to be the same as what was before.
3:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
Yes. As far as that goes, Mr. Regan, I think you'll find most of them are the same as before and are now up for either approval or amendment or whatever members choose.
So I would entertain the first one, then, in terms of the use of the Library of Parliament. Of course, Tim has been our representative for a number of years.
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
3:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
Tim, we saved your job. Welcome.
The next one is on a subcommittee on agenda and procedure. That, again, we talked about. I'll open that for discussion, if we follow the order here.
Yes, Mr. Cullen.
3:35 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Thank you, Chair.
One thing the committee faces in this current session of Parliament must be the experience of our previous session, in which—the committee and chair will remember this well—the committee was probably its most dysfunctional perhaps in the last 10 or 15 years. We had to excuse witnesses. The chair was challenged a number of times. The tone of partisanship that entered into this committee was one of the highest it's been from the reports of many who've watched this committee for a number of years.
In an effort to avoid this happening again--and the committee members are well aware that it has been my intention to find ways to deal with the issues that I think Canadians are pressing upon us to deal with around the environment--we need a more coherent and less partisan way to approach dealing with the issues that come before us.
The place where that starts is in the setting of the agenda. As we all know, whether it be a meeting or a study, the terms of reference that guide us through that study can be as important as the testimony and the eventual results: they set the direction.
I think the subcommittee, in the past, has worked well. I know it was refused last time, but in this effort I think it's important for us to consider striking it again to ensure that we have the best agenda possible, that we have the best focus possible, and that we don't waste time.
I can recall discussions around the agenda that went on, with the entire committee involved. They were prolonged. There were partisan shots going back and forth across the table, which were unhelpful. I think all committee members should have in our interests, at the foundation, the ability to proceed with work as quickly and effectively as possible.
3:40 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
Mr. Regan, we're just discussing this motion. I think we can do this in that sort of manner.
3:40 p.m.
Liberal
