Environment Committee on June 2nd, 2008

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Okay. Those in favour? Those opposed, if any?

(Amendment agreed to)

(Clause 16 as amended agreed to)

(On clause 17)

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

We do have amendments.

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

We're concerned about some renumbering that would have to occur in light of what we've done. But if the renumbering happens automatically.... Is that correct?

We put “and under the Commissioner's reports”, under subsection 23(2) and 2.2. We don't need to worry about that?

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

No, that will happen in the editing.

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

So then we can go forward with clause 17.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Everyone, we are now considering clause 17.

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

There may be some additions to clause 17.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

We have an amendment that you are aware of. I just want to see which line is coming first, ours or yours.

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

Well, I guess the issue is whether this new amendment stands as a separate clause, as opposed to—

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

No, it's in addition to subsection 21(1) of the Auditor General Act under clause 17. In the fourth line, after the word “following”, there will be inserted two and a half lines.

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

What line is that after?

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

The clause here, or yours over there. It's one or the other.

This is crazy.

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

I know.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

They can sit side by side. What the heck.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

It's fine by me, if it speeds this process up.

Okay. I think we're on clause 17 with no amendments. Clause 17, as written, is what we're now voting on.

Yes, Mr. Bigras.

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

Mr. Chairman, I thought that an amendment to clause 17 had been proposed by the government. Is that in fact the case?

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

There's going to be amendment 17.1, which will follow clause 17. Once we have passed clause 17—

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

That's not what I was asking. I would appreciate it if the legislative clerk could enlighten me about the following point. The rules of procedure state that amendments must be tabled. Correct? It was my understanding that an amendment would be put forward. However, I thought I made myself clear earlier when I asked the political parties to table any amendments they had immediately.

You did not respond to my request. Instead, you turned the floor over to the Liberals. It would appear that two parties are working together here. May I remind you that the members of the other two parties would also like to know where matters stand. For that, they need to know exactly what amendments are being proposed. I'm not very pleased with how things are going right now. I wouldn't want any precedents to be set.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Mr. Bigras, I agree with you totally, and I certainly didn't mean to not give the instructions. I understood there was an amendment that was going to be introduced in clause 18. I was not aware that there was another amendment that was being circulated. Now I am. I think it is only fair that you have those amendments ahead of time and have the opportunity to look at them.

So I would ask all parties, if there are other amendments, to table them. I am now aware of 17.1 as an amendment, and there's going to be another section to 18, which is going to come.

What we could do, if you like, while we get all of this printed and circulated, is go on to the 15 minutes of future business that was scheduled for the end of our meeting, instead of waiting until the end.

I was as unaware as you were.

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

Is it helpful for the parties to sit down for that 10 or 15 minutes to work this out? If so, then maybe future business is inappropriate conversation.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

If that's the will of the committee, certainly if you need 15 minutes, let's take it, and then we can probably move fairly quickly.

We'll suspend then so you can get this sorted out as quickly as you can and get copies to everyone, to all four parties. You're trying to get copies of every amendment that's going to come forward, as Mr. Bigras requested. Let's be a little bit flexible, but I'd rather they do it as quickly as possible.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Excuse me, Mr. Bigras. Do you have copies now of the government amendments?

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

Yes, thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Okay, we're all set. Is everybody ready?

We were on clause 17, and we have no amendments to clause 17. Is that correct?

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

So what we have to do is vote.... I'm not sure what sequence we do this in.