And it's happened.
Evidence of meeting #1 for Finance in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was committees.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #1 for Finance in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was committees.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
As a whole row of ex-ministers, I think you know what you're talking about.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON
Perhaps twenty minutes is too long. I'd be open to amendments.
3:50 p.m.
An hon. member
Make it fifteen.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
You want to actually add another spot there so when the minister appears, there is a twenty-minute maximum for the minister.
3:50 p.m.
An hon. member
Fifteen.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
I think, obviously, that when we have ministers come to make a presentation before a committee, we should be open to allowing ministers to speak for as long as is required to present the various topics they may be presenting. Now, I'm not suggesting that they eat up all their time, but I think there should be some room to manoeuvre on this. I think probably twenty minutes is more reasonable than fifteen. I just don't think fifteen minutes is a lot of time, quite frankly.
3:50 p.m.
An hon. member
They get more in the House of Commons.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Dean Del Mastro Conservative Peterborough, ON
I think there'd be a lot more value added to committee if we provided the ministers with enough time to adequately present a topic.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Massimo Pacetti Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC
I'll be quick. Thank you.
I think fifteen minutes is a good starting point, and if we have to add to that, the minister can ask us for permission or consent and we can give it to him on a case-by-case basis. But I think fifteen minutes is reasonable and a sufficient time, especially if he comes here. He usually comes for an hour.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Ted Menzies Conservative Macleod, AB
I would be very concerned if Canadians thought we were trying to limit the time a minister was given to report to a House of Commons standing committee. That doesn't sound like anything I would like to take back to my constituents. I think, with all due respect, this is trying to somehow muzzle a minister's discussion or openness with this committee. In the question and answer period afterwards, the minister has lots of time to answer those questions, and I think we have adequate time in here. But I think to bring us the message that he needs to bring, and which this committee needs to hear, I certainly can't accept fifteen minutes. I think we could accept twenty minutes. I'm assuming the minister would think that's enough; some ministers take longer than that.
I see consensus building on the other side.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
3:55 p.m.
Bloc
Thierry St-Cyr Bloc Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
I want to remind you of the nature of our work. When the Minister appear before us, he answers our questions; he does not come to put on a show or engage in political marketing. He has plenty of means at his disposal to speak and to address a subject in the House and outside the House. When he comes to committee, he comes to answer our questions, and I think it is reasonable to ask that he limit his opening statement to a few minutes. As for the show aspect, in any case, you know full well that the media will not report the Minister's 20, 30 or 40 minutes on the evening news. They are going to report his seven- or eight-second sound bite. He will therefore have plenty of time in 15 minutes to deliver his seven- or eight-second sound bite.
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
Massimo Pacetti Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC
Usually, when the Minister of Finance appears before the committee, it lasts about an hour. I think that 15 minutes are enough. If it is a very important issue and he wants to come for an hour and a half, we could maybe grant him 20 minutes, but beyond that, I do not believe that we are prepared to increase the Minister's time for his presentation. I am in favour of 15 minutes.
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
Garth Turner Liberal Halton, ON
I have to say, Chairman, as there are a lot of members on this committee and given the fact that a minister typically appears for an hour, I think fifteen minutes is fine, because in 45 minutes we're only going to get in a couple of rounds—maybe three rounds of questioning. This is an important committee that does work affecting almost all Canadians, and all of us here take it very seriously. I think giving the minister twenty minutes to speak, or an unlimited period of time, is wrong for the committee. I agree with Monsieur St-Cyr that our job here is to question the minister. The minister has many opportunities to speak.