Evidence of meeting #30 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 amendments.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
Thank you, Chair.
What happened was that two days ago, on May 5, the meeting was cancelled because the Parliament buildings were closed and committees were cancelled. So that changed what we could do as far as witnesses were concerned. The witnesses for May 5 have to be heard. My understanding is that what is being proposed is that we hear from the witnesses on May 12.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
It's Monday. I can't imagine us not waiting to hear from the witnesses before we actually then thoughtfully come up with amendments. Now, if we're hearing from them on May 12, I would suggest that by six o'clock on May 14 we would have all the amendments from all parties submitted. That's why I'm making a motion that the deadline be changed to May 14.
I'm also expecting, Chair, that we're having a steering committee meeting after this meeting.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
Hopefully we will. The steering committee then would have to report back to committee. We can deal with that on May 14.
That's the motion, Chair.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
Yes, we have two items I hope to deal with. One is this deadline, which we need to do, because the deadline is today otherwise. We also have Mr. Bigras' motion, which I had hoped to deal with.
We also have a vote. The bells will be going at 5:15, so we do have a time constraint here.
I have talked briefly to Mr. Regan, who requested the steering committee meeting, to suggest that if we have to we should just carry on. But of course I'm at the will of the committee. We have a motion on the floor.
Yes, Mr. Bigras.
Bloc
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
On a point of order, Mr. Chair.
I would ask the clerk to shed light on this matter. I don't think that the motion that was tabled has anything to do with the committee's orders of the day, nor does it have anything to do with what we're discussing today. I'd like to remind you that after the appearance by the Office of the Auditor General, there is committee business. I moved a motion in the appropriate manner. I would suggest to my colleague that we discuss these matters at the steering committee. That would be the more appropriate place to discuss them.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
The problem, Mr. Bigras, from a rules standpoint, is that the steering committee can't make the decision. So we have to have a meeting to make that decision. The deadline, as set by this committee, is today. Now, if we're hearing witnesses on Monday, it's very unreasonable to think that we can have the deadline for amendments prior to hearing from our witnesses. That just doesn't work. So we have to deal with this in committee, because our steering committee can't deal with it and in fact make the ruling.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
Again, what are we going to do when we hit 5:15, and we haven't finished the motion? If you think we can finish the motion in 15 minutes, let's go for it, because you're right, that's the order we should have done it in. However, the impending deadline that we deal with that immediately is of course critical.
Again, at the will of the committee, I would ask if we can deal with this motion and vote on that motion to get a date.
And then we'll get to your motion, if you agree, Mr. Bigras. You're right in terms of process.
Yes?
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
Chair, I'm speaking to the point of order.
I would like to deal with Mr. Bigras' motion. I think if we can hurry up we can deal with this motion. It is in order because you had brought it up, it was the topic we were discussing. Hopefully we can deal with this quickly and get on to Mr. Bigras' motion.
Bloc
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
It seems to me that if we have unanimous consent, we then can consider Mr. Warawa's motion. I would like to know whether the Liberals are in favour of discussing that.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
Mr. Bigras is correct. His point of order is certainly correct; we should be dealing with this motion first.
My concern is that we're going to get to 5:15 and the bells are going to ring. We leave here, we haven't decided on the deadline, therefore the deadline is today. Therefore why are we hearing the witnesses on Monday? Because you just don't do it in that order. We do want to hear those witnesses, I believe. I think there are some excellent witnesses who we have an opportunity to hear on Monday.
I would need unanimous consent, I think, to in fact overrule Mr. Bigras, because he is correct. Do we decide on extending or do we go to Mr. Bigras' motion?
Liberal
Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS
Perhaps we can do it by agreement.
Mr. Chairman, perhaps by agreement we could agree to extend the time for the amendments until Monday evening.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
--come to an agreement with, but we can't have the amendment day today.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
That makes no sense.
Mr. Warawa, what is your feeling about this? You put a motion that it could be the Wednesday. We have heard that it could be Monday or Tuesday.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
Mr. Chair, I didn't think this would be a problem, so my apologies.
What I was envisioning was for us to give thought to the witnesses and the impacts of how this is going to affect Bill C-474, the amendments. It takes more than a couple of hours working with staff, so that's why we're suggesting to give us a basic.... If we had the next day to get our thoughts, we meet afterwards, and it will be the 14th before we will be able to realistically have the amendments.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
I have checked with the clerk in terms of the feasibility of doing this, and depending on the number of amendments that he is going to receive, it partly determines whether a Wednesday clause-by-clause is doable or not. That is a concern. We don't know how many amendments, and he doesn't know.
