Evidence of meeting #1 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was going.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
The Chair NDP Nathan Cullen
No.
So it's going to be before the weekend for our Tuesday meetings. We're mostly talking about Thursday right now.
But it's at the will of the committee. If you prefer the hard 48, then we can....
Yes? I'm seeing a lot of nods on the hard 48.
Okay. That's essentially what we'll adopt.
I'm not sure if the motion actually needs to be amended at all or if it's good as is.
NDP
The Chair NDP Nathan Cullen
Yes.
It's funny, but we will have to add some language to this to describe the full, proper, normal human 48 hours.
NDP
The Chair NDP Nathan Cullen
Would folks like to have 9 a.m. in there? I mean, it prescribes us to these committee times, but....
Charlie.
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
I don't think it's necessary. I think we have a working understanding and we've agreed on it. Someone's going to come later on and say we never said that, but this is an understanding. I don't think we have to write it into the regulations. We have an understanding of how the motions will be done, and that's how they'll be done.
Conservative
The Chair NDP Nathan Cullen
Yes, the chronological 48 hours: the real 48 hours.
Yes, we'll do all these things, and we'll be hard on this. It's going to happen to committee members that you'll be late and you'll want to bend this, but this is the direction you're giving me today. It's the hard 48, and that's fine.
Could I have someone move that motion?
NDP
The Chair NDP Nathan Cullen
Thank you very much, Mr. Carmichael.
All in favour?
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Next is rounds of questioning. This is one we're going to have to change a little bit, particularly because the Bloc are no longer officially recognized. It's going to change in a couple of different ways, actually.
Mr. Del Mastro.
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
I would propose to amend...or first I'd move this one and then I would amend it as follows: that the witnesses from any one organization shall be allowed 10 minutes to make their opening statement. During the questioning of witnesses there shall be allocated seven minutes for the first round of questioning, and thereafter five minutes shall be allocated to each questioner in the second and subsequent rounds of questioning.
NDP
NDP
The Chair NDP Nathan Cullen
Okay. That's the motion as moved; that's preferred.
Are there any comments on this in terms of rounds of questioning?
Mr. Angus.
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
I certainly support seven minutes and five, but I'm seeing that time allotted to witnesses is the subsequent motion.
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
In terms of the rounds of questioning, if we go seven minutes and five, then in what order will that seven and five be?
NDP
The Chair NDP Nathan Cullen
Yes, we're going to have to be a bit explicit on the pattern that's going to be established.
We do have, in our previous rules, the time allocation for witnesses, but I don't see a problem necessarily in combining the two. It's up to the committee.
So it's ten and seven and five: ten minutes for witnesses to describe their case, seven minutes for the first round, and five minutes for the second round.
Is that all right with everyone, before we move to the actual demarcation of the order?
NDP
The Chair NDP Nathan Cullen
Okay.
Can someone move an amendment to actually...?
Oh, Dean, I see you've also brought a speaking order.
NDP
The Chair NDP Nathan Cullen
Can someone move that first motion, and then we'll see to the second?
It is moved by Mr. Del Mastro. All in favour?
(Motion agreed to)
Great.
Let's talk about a speaking order now.
Dean, do you want this back?
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
No, it wasn't inspired, nothing that good.
We propose that the order of questions for the first round should be as follows: Conservative, NDP, Conservative, and Liberal. During the second round, we would alternate between the government and the opposition members in the following fashion: Conservative, NDP, Conservative, NDP, Conservative, NDP, and Conservative. That allows every member of the committee to ask questions.
