Evidence of meeting #1 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Well, I was just going to suggest that maybe we pass Mr. McGuinty's first motion talking about the minister being here. Let's do this in a formal fashion. At least we can put this one to bed.
Mr. McGuinty, perhaps you would move that onto the floor about the Minister of the Environment coming to appear before committee.
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
Absolutely. Thanks, Chair.
This is a very simple motion: That the committee immediately write to the Minister of the Environment to request that he appear before the committee on the estimates and the supplementary estimates and that those meetings be televised.
As I move this, I'd also like to ask a question of clarification or a point of order, Mr. Chair. The matter of inviting the minister to appear has to be passed by motion, I understand. The matter of having hearings televised must be passed by motion. Is that correct?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
For my purposes, I prefer to be directed by committee to get the meetings televised. I think the proper way to do that is through motions.
Liberal
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
Going forward, then, Chair, just for clarification, if the minister were to appear again on other estimates or some other process, it would take another motion.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
You've covered off both the estimates and supplementary estimates on this one. You have those two covered off. I think it's fine.
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
Right. If he were to appear more than once, then on each occasion it would be televised.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
As long as he's appearing on estimates and supplementary estimates, correct.
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
Right. It would be televised as a matter of course through this motion?
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Mr. Chair, I welcome the opportunity of having the minister here to outline the estimates. What I don't agree to is having the three Liberals speak. We always have the opportunity of somebody replacing us if we can't be here.
I think that's a little over the top.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
If it's all the package, then I have no problem with that for timing, because who knows, as Monsieur Bigras said, what might happen by next Tuesday? I'm willing to accommodate in any way. Right now my schedule looks like it allows it, but we don't know what will happen with the vote.
So I'm fully in favour of that motion, but I am a bit concerned about the proposal of how we proceed.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Okay.
Are there any other comments, or any discussion?
Mr. Bigras.
Bloc
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have checked the agenda and would like to remind you that the Bloc Québécois opposition day will be next Tuesday and there will be a vote. The Liberal opposition day is Monday. Consequently, the vote will very likely be deferred until Tuesday. Therefore, there will be a vote and the bells will probably ring around 5:30 p.m. This is a very likely scenario.
Therefore, the government should take this information into consideration.
I am in favour of the Liberal Party's motion, provided an invitation is extended. We would like the committee to invite the Minister of the Environment in writing to appear before the committee on the subject of Estimates and Supplementary Estimates, and the resulting meetings to be telecast. We will make the necessary adjustments.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
A very quick comment, Chair.
We'll support the motion, the invitation to the minister to come to committee and that it be televised. We will support the motion.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
It's sort of a point of order.
I would appreciate an explanation of why the deadline of the 23rd. We don't understand; where is this deadline of the 23rd coming from? Where's the mad rush that it must occur by that date?
