Finance Committee on Oct. 17th, 2006

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

I'm fine with the motion. I just want to make sure it's clear to the Department of Finance that we are in fact going to get this information.

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

Mr. McKay.

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

Just as a point of clarification, is it the Department of Finance or the Department of Defence that would be able to tell you the information you want to know?

[Pierre Paquette, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

I have worked with the Clerk. I have been assured that it covered both; that the Department of Finance—even though it is the Department of Defence that spends the money—should know how much is allocated to the Afghanistan mission. What's been done in the past is not the problem; the problem lies in what may be done in the future. In any case, when the departmental representatives appear before us, we will take whatever steps are required to obtain further clarification if needed.

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

I suggest that you wait for your colleagues to be here before making your comment, and share your answer with us afterwards.

Mr. Dykstra.

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, St. Catharines, ON]

I have a couple of things here. One, a question from the member for New Westminster--Coquitlam is already on the order paper. It's question number 902, and it's specific, with lots of points to it, almost identical, except with more detail, to the motion we have here.

I just wonder if it's actually necessary for this motion to be put, in the sense that it's already on the order paper.

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

What's on the order paper is not relevant to the running of this committee. Mr. Paquette is quite within his rights to present this motion, and he has done so.

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, St. Catharines, ON]

I appreciate the clarification.

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

Do you have any further comments?

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, St. Catharines, ON]

Yes, I do.

We know that the Minister of Defence is actually going to committee to respond to questions in terms of what's happening, obviously, but also in terms of overall cost. I'm wondering if that isn't a better avenue to pursue this than to have to wait and wonder if it's actually going to come here.

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

To conclude debate--I hope--I will go to Mr. Paquette.

[Pierre Paquette, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Chairman, as part of the pre-budget process, the Finance Committee is responsible for making recommendations to the government. I believe we have a right to know what kind of manoeuvre margin we have. That said, I know my colleague Claude Bachand is doing the same sort of thing at the Defence Committee, but here we are addressing Department of National Defence. He might have more details that would not necessarily be useful to us here. What we would like to know is what margin of manoeuvre we will have once we know the total, and what percentage it amounts to.

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

I think we've had a good discussion, and we've heard some good points of view. I would now call for the vote on Mr. Paquette's motion.

(Motion agreed to) [See Minutes of Proceedings]

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

I'll just mention, members, before we adjourn, that because there are votes tomorrow, there will be rapid-fire rounds. So come prepared for shorter periods of questioning.

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

And shorter interventions by the chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

Again, do what you can to avoid eating up all your time with preamble.

We are adjourned.