Evidence of meeting #2 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 witnesses.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
I'll move the motion before us about the chair being authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence. Basically I don't agree with what we have before us on the reduced quorum, but to get it on the table I will move it. I'll be voting against it.
I think the logic has already been explained numerous times. We are in a minority government. We have to make sure that the government is sitting at the table. On Tuesday we heard that what's good for the opposition...the government has no protection, and that's not fair. In the spirit of fairness this needs to be changed. We need to vote on it, so I will put it on the table for a vote.
Bloc
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
I'll read the motion. This is the one that was circulated to all members under routine motions adopted by the committee of the 39th Parliament second session: “That the Chair be authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence and to have that evidence printed when a quorum is not present, provided that at least three (3) members are present, including one member of the opposition.”
Mr. Woodworth.
Conservative
Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I think the comments that were spoken a few moments ago really relate to the motion I proposed yesterday, which has already been defeated, to delete the final phrase of what we now have before us. Regrettably, from my point of view, my motion was defeated and that phrase was not deleted. From what I understand, it leaves us with a situation where, by reason of the office of chair, the chair has the ability to cancel a meeting, even with a reduced quorum. I can't figure any way around that, because the chair needs the discretion to do that. The chair seems to customarily be a government member in this committee.
On the other hand, we have the opposition, which by defeating my motion yesterday preserved their right to cancel a meeting by reason of a complete boycott. That seems to be the balance that the motion now on the floor creates. My feelings about it are the same as Mr. Warawa's.
Thank you.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Next is dissenting or supplementary opinions. The one that was passed in the 39th Parliament was that any member of the committee be entitled to submit a dissenting or supplementary opinion to any committee report in accordance to the Standing Orders of the House and the conditions imposed by the committee.
Mr. Bigras.
Bloc
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
If I understand this motion correctly, any member of the committee will be able to write a dissenting opinion, which means that we could have more than one dissenting opinion per party. I think that perhaps a slight change is needed. We could have up to six dissenting opinions per committee report. I do not want to move an amendment; I would prefer to discuss whether it might perhaps be more logical to have one dissenting opinion per party rather than one per committee member. That is my position. Basically, this motion allows us to apply a rule that already exists. I am not opposed to the motion; I just want to bring to your attention the fact that it opens the door to a number of dissenting opinions when, as a principle, there should only be one dissenting opinion per political party. If the Bloc Québécois wants to file a dissenting opinion, no problem. But we do not want there to be six or seven dissenting opinions.
February 5th, 2009 / 9:15 a.m.
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
If this motion were to pass, would there be anything to stop an individual member of Parliament from submitting a dissenting or supplementary opinion?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
No, because the Standing Orders stipulate that we're here as members, not partisans. We have to respect the Standing Orders, which state that members of a committee can submit a dissenting report.
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
I thought that was pretty well established, as I recall from the last Parliament or two Parliaments ago.
While you're at it, Mr. Chair, is there anything materially different here from the last Parliament? Or is this the same?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
It's the same as what you passed in the 39th. In my previous committee, the committee would have different conditions on various reports as they were filed. One rule of thumb was that a dissenting report could not be longer than the report itself, but those are conditions we would agree to at the time of the report being filed.
Are there any other questions?
Mr. Warawa and then Mr. Woodworth.
Conservative
Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON
I have just a very quick comment. I think the principle set out in the orders is the correct one: that we are here as individuals. Although we work under party discipline, to me that's still an important principle. We're here as individuals. We're not here simply representing a party. Otherwise we could have a committee composed of four members, or whatever number of parties there are now. I've lost track.
Thank you.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Next is reports from committees, Standing Order 35(2): “Upon presentation of a report accompanied by supplementary”--
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
That's not the same one? But reports are filed by members of the committee, not by the parties, so that, I think, is the interpretation.
Do we have any other discussion?
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Concerning witnesses' expenses, the motion passed from the 39th Parliament states that, if requested, reasonable travel, accommodation, and living expenses be reimbursed to witnesses, not exceeding two representatives per organization; and that, in exceptional circumstances, payment for more representatives be made at the discretion of the chair.
Mr. Warawa.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
Chair, I accept this, but I would like to make a friendly amendment to add that teleconferencing facilities should be used whenever possible. It's the technology of today, and we need to reduce costs when we can.
