Evidence of meeting #1 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was amendment.
A recording is available from Parliament.
11:05 a.m.
The Clerk of the Committee Mrs. Marie-France Renaud
Honourable members of the committee, I see a quorum.
I must inform members that the clerk of the committee can only receive motions for the election of the chair. The clerk cannot receive other types of motions, entertain points of order, nor participate in debate.
We can now move to the election of the chair.
Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the chair must be a member of the government party.
I am now ready to receive motions for the chair.
Ms. Duncan.
11:05 a.m.
The Clerk
It has been moved by Ms. Duncan that Mr. Warawa be elected chair of the committee.
Are there any further motions?
Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?
(Motion agreed to)
Before inviting Mr. Warawa to take the chair, if the committee wishes, we will proceed to the election of vice-chairs.
Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the first vice-chair must be a member of the official opposition.
I am now ready to receive nominations for the position of first vice-chair.
Mr. Lunney.
11:05 a.m.
Conservative
11:05 a.m.
The Clerk
It has been moved by Mr. Lunney that Ms. Leslie be elected first vice-chair of the committee.
Are there any further motions?
Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?
(Motion agreed to)
I declare the motion carried and Ms. Leslie duly elected first vice-chair of the committee.
Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the second vice-chair must be a member of an opposition party other than the official opposition.
I am now prepared to receive a motion for the second vice-chair.
Mr. Woodworth.
11:05 a.m.
Conservative
11:05 a.m.
The Clerk
It has been moved by Mr. Woodworth that Ms. Duncan be elected as second vice-chair of the committee.
Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?
(Motion agreed to)
I declare the motion carried and Ms. Duncan duly elected second vice-chair of the committee.
I now invite Mr. Warawa to take the chair.
June 21st, 2011 / 11:05 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Mark Warawa
I would like to thank each of you for your support, and I thank the clerk for running a very efficient election of the chair and vice-chairs. I can see there is love in the air.
I'm sure that we each have a desire to see some substantial and very positive things for the environment. I look forward to working with each of you and making sure the committee is productive.
Our first order of business will be the adoption of routine motions so we know the rules of the committee.
Ms. Rempel.
11:05 a.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Centre-North, AB
I'd like to move that the routine motions presented to the clerk entitled “Proposals From The Conservative Party” be adopted.
11:05 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Mark Warawa
We have a motion on the floor. Is there any discussion?
Ms. Leslie.
11:05 a.m.
Conservative
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Mark Warawa
We'll start with the first one. The first clause of the routine motions is that the committee retain the services of one or more analysts from the Library of Parliament, as needed, to assist the committee in its work. These services may be requested at the discretion of the chair.
This is under the title “Services of Analysts from the Library of Parliament”.
We should have a mover for each one.
It is moved by Mr. Woodworth.
Is there any discussion?
Ms. Leslie.
11:10 a.m.
NDP
Megan Leslie NDP Halifax, NS
I don't need necessarily to have the wording changed, as long as there is something understood. Normally a vice-chair would sit in on a meeting or cover one or two meetings at most, but I had a situation with the health committee last year when the chair was absent for an extended period of time, and we had a vice-chair.
As long as the last sentence here, “These services may be requested at the discretion of the chair”, is understood to mean whoever is sitting in the chair, then I'm fine, as long as there is that understanding.
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Mark Warawa
The second motion is on the subcommittee on agenda and procedure: that the subcommittee on agenda and procedure be composed of five members, including the chair, the two vice-chairs, the parliamentary secretary, and a member of the Conservative Party.
Is there any discussion on that?
Go ahead, Ms. Rempel.
11:10 a.m.
NDP
Megan Leslie NDP Halifax, NS
Thank you.
I am fine with the composition. However, I have a problem with the quorum, because there are three Conservative members in the five-member composition. That means that a quorum of the subcommittee could be three members, which means that there is no opposition member.
I would move that the quorum of the subcommittee shall consist of at least three members, including one opposition member.
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Mark Warawa
It is so moved. That is a friendly amendment.
(Motion as amended agreed to) [See Minutes of Proceedings]
Next is on reduced quorum: 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 four members are present, including one member from each recognized party. That would be the Conservative Party, the NDP, and the Liberal Party.
And further: In the case of previously scheduled meetings taking place outside the parliamentary precinct, the committee members in attendance shall only be required to wait for 15 minutes following the designated start of the meeting before they may proceed to hear witnesses and receive evidence, regardless of whether opposition or government members are present.
Ms. Rempel, are you moving this?
