Evidence of meeting #1 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 40th 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.
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
We have to finish off the first motion we're on before we get to this motion.
9:25 a.m.
NDP
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
9:25 a.m.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
I'm not going to agree to reducing my time if the second round excludes me. That would be absurd.
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Essentially what they're saying is that the first round is a seven-minute round, then there's a five-minute round, which is the rest of the members, and then a third round would be back to the first round with the same rotation, but at five minutes.
Mr. Watson.
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
Jeff Watson Conservative Essex, ON
Briefly, we're speaking to the seven minutes? Okay. I've had this experience with the transport committee, in my other committee duties. We found, with the really collegial atmosphere, that the seven-minute rounds actually produced a third round of questions, which then offered an additional question to the New Democrats. That's been the practice, and I've been on that committee for over a year. I think that efficiency of lowering the time limit to seven got far more questions on the floor. I'm in support of the amendment.
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
That's been my experience on the agriculture committee as well. With the seven and five we always get to a third round, and then all parties get one more question at the end on the third round.
Monsieur Bigras.
9:25 a.m.
Bloc
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
Even if we cut the time allocation in the first round, I doubt we will get to a third round. Perhaps the clerk could guide us. I think that the third round will prove increasingly difficult. Even if we reduce the time allocation during the first round from ten to seven minutes, I doubt that we will get through a full third round. So we should look at the time that will be granted.
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Another way we can manage this—and it's my suggestion as chair and I did it at the agriculture committee—is that we never have more than four witnesses at the table at a time. Instead of taking an hour for witnesses, the most you're going to take is 30 to 40 minutes. That leaves more time for questioning and a fuller discussion.
Madam Duncan.
9:25 a.m.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
I understood the motion by Mr. Warawa to be similar to the official languages, which I think is fair, reasonable, and practicable. The first round per party is seven minutes; the second round per party is five minutes; and then you go to the third round for five minutes. That's what I understood was being recommended.
The recommendation that is coming forward, as I understand it now, is not fair. It is probably going to end up reducing my time, not increasing my ability—and not just mine, but I think that of all the parties.
So I think the official languages is the best compromise: seven minutes; then five minutes; and then if you have a third round, five minutes. I'd even defer to having the first questions by the Conservatives members in the third round.
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
Well, I think the timing is the first question. That's the motion that's on the floor, and then we can go into the sequence of questioning.
Is that okay?
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Okay.
The way the motion reads on time allotment is that that the first round per party is seven minutes, and the second round for remaining members is five minutes, with a rotation between opposition and government members. That's the motion on the floor from Mr. Warawa.
Is there any further discussion?
A final comment, and then Mr. Trudeau.
Go ahead, Mark.
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
Elaborating of what you just said, Chair, the principle that nobody gets a second question until everybody has had a chance—
9:25 a.m.
Bloc
February 3rd, 2009 / 9:25 a.m.
Liberal
Justin Trudeau Liberal Papineau, QC
Could I suggest that we map this out and actually time it and look at what it looks like? I'm new to this committee, new to any committee actually, and the numbers flying around are unclear. I would like to count the timing.
9:30 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
We can do the mapping and deal with it as a first point of business at our next full committee meeting—if that's the suggestion.
9:30 a.m.
Liberal
Justin Trudeau Liberal Papineau, QC
I'm just asking if we could go through it now, seven minutes for this party, seven minutes for that party, and seven minutes—
9:30 a.m.
Liberal
9:30 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Okay, we'll do that.
Mr. Radford will just quickly map it out.
Monsieur Bigras.