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.
The Clerk of the Committee Mr. Normand Radford
Honourable members, I see a quorum.
Pursuant to Standing Order 106.(1) your first item is to elect the chair. Do I have motions to that effect?
Conservative
The Clerk
Mr. Calkins moves that Mr. Bezan take the chair.
Is it the pleasure of the committee to accept the motion?
(Motion agreed to)
The Clerk
Congratulations, Mr. Bezan, you are now chair of the committee.
Our next item is to elect the vice-chairs.
There are two vice-chair positions: one must be a member of the official opposition, and the other, a member of another opposition party.
Are there any motions to that effect?
Mr. McGuinty.
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
I would like to nominate, on behalf of the official opposition, Mr. Francis Scarpaleggia as vice-chair.
The Clerk
Mr. McGuinty names Mr. Scarpaleggia as a vice-chair for the official opposition. Is it the pleasure of the committee to accept this?
(Motion agreed to)
Bloc
Christian Ouellet Bloc Brome—Missisquoi, QC
I move that Mr. Bernard Bigras be elected second vice-chair.
The Clerk
Mr. Ouellet moves that Mr. Bigras be elected the second vice-chair. Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt this motion?
(Motion agreed to)
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Thanks for the vote of confidence in allowing me to chair this esteemed committee. I am looking forward to the work we are about to undertake.
What we will do is go right into routine motions and set the ground rules for the committee for the upcoming session. After that, I wouldn't mind just going around and having everybody introduce themselves, because there are some new players on this committee, including myself. I am looking forward to finding out more about you and exactly what environmental issues are your personal interests as we go forward. Then we'll set up a time for the steering committee to meet to set out our agenda and hopefully get to work next week.
With that, we're going to look at the motions that were passed last year. They were actually put into the briefing book binders that Norm had circulated, and he also has them circulating right now.
Everybody has a copy of the routine motions in front of them. We'll go through them one at a time. We're going to be using the ones that were adopted by the committee for the 39th Parliament, second session.
The first one is services of analysts from the Library of Parliament. The one that was passed read:
That the Committee retain, as needed and at the discretion of the Chair, the services of one or more analysts from the Library of Parliament to assist in its work.
Are there any proposed changes to that motion?
Mr. Warawa.
February 3rd, 2009 / 9:10 a.m.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
Thank you, Chair.
We're recommending that one more sentence be added at the end: that these services may be requested at the discretion of the chair.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
It's fine the way it is.
Is there any other discussion on that first one?
Would somebody move the motion on the services of analysts from the Library of Parliament?
Mr. Watson.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
We're going to be joined by our analysts. We have Tim Williams and Penny Becklumb, who were with the committee last time.
Do you have any opening comments before we move on to the other routine motions?
Tim Williams Committee Researcher
First of all, I would like to congratulate everybody.
Second, I'm not sure exactly how familiar you are with our services, but we're here to serve the committee as best we can on the subject matter at hand. We'll pass around our cards later. Feel free to contact us at any time for any questions, and we'll do our best to help you out.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Okay, thanks.
Let's move on to the next routine motion, which concerns the subcommittee on agenda and procedure. The one that was passed in the last session was that the subcommittee on agenda and procedure be established and be composed of the chair, the two vice-chairs, and a member of the other opposition party. The motion was later amended to include the parliamentary secretary as a member of the subcommittee.
Any changes to that motion?
Mr. Warawa.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
Thank you, Chair.
We've spent quite a bit of time on the routine motions, and this is a suggestion. Some of this will be covered by what's already in there, but this is what we're proposing: that the subcommittee on agenda and procedure be composed of the chair, the parliamentary secretary, and a member from each of the opposition parties; that quorum of the subcommittee shall consist of at least three members, one of whom must be from the government and one member from the opposition; and that each member of the subcommittee shall be permitted to have one assistant attend at any meetings of the subcommittee on agenda and procedure.
Conservative
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
The amendment proposes that the subcommittee on agenda and procedure be composed of the chair, the parliamentary secretary, and a member from each of the opposition parties--so everybody would be represented there, plus the chair--that the quorum for the subcommittee shall consist of at least three members, one of whom must be from the government and one member from the opposition, and that each member of the subcommittee shall be permitted to have one assistant attend at any meetings of the subcommittee.
