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.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
Can I just throw something in?
This may be what I hear from you. What you're saying on this side is that we don't want a minister to monopolize the time, and that fifteen minutes seems to be enough time if we've got an hour. So why wouldn't you say fifteen minutes per hour? And as it's for two hours and he may stay for two hours, then it would be appropriate to give him thirty minutes.
Is that fair? Is there a consensus? Does everyone agree with that?
Done.
Now the motion, with that amendment—
Liberal
Massimo Pacetti Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC
Mr. Chairman, just to clear this up, we're giving witnesses other than the minister up to ten minutes. Is that correct? We're not touching that?
NDP
Thomas Mulcair NDP Outremont, QC
Further to what I told you earlier, I take due note of what my colleague from the Bloc, Mr. St-Cyr, said about there being a custom. Maybe it was Mr. Crête who mentioned that, when there is a twelfth question, it customarily goes to the New Democratic Party. I simply would like it noted down. I do not think that there would be a problem with noting down this type of customary practice, and it would reassure us.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
The clerk indicates to me that the practice of the committee was to follow that procedure the last time, at any rate.
NDP
Thomas Mulcair NDP Outremont, QC
Sometimes, Mr. Chairman, what goes without saying goes even better when said.
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
Fair enough. So if it goes to the twelfth one, then it goes to the NDP on the second round.
Okay, are we...?
NDP
Thomas Mulcair NDP Outremont, QC
In both cases, Mr. Chairman, it makes a difference. In both cases, if there is a twelfth turn, it goes to the NDP. I am talking about the second round in both cases. Is that clear?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
Okay, so that's what we have to do, the NDP on both...the minister here, or a regular.
All right?
Okay, so I think the motion, as amended, was with the fifteen minutes per hour for the minister and the addition of the NDP at the twelfth, on the second round, minister or non-minister.
(Motion agreed to)
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
Okay, there we go. We're just moving right along here.
How about number five? This is travel and living expenses for witnesses.
Conservative
Liberal
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
I'd like to comment on that. We seem to spend endless amounts of time with witnesses coming in who have their documents in one official language. There has to be some sort of mechanism so that the witnesses have either access to translation or some other means by which they are not embarrassed when they arrive here.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
Yes, this is always a sore spot.
So what you're saying is that if they come in with one official language, there has to be an ability to get it to us. Is that what you're saying, or is there access? The clerk is saying they do have access.
Liberal
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
I'm not sure what the mechanism is. I'm sure Elizabeth sends out notice saying it has to be in both official languages, but a lot of these witnesses don't have access to translation services.
The Clerk
Thank you, Mr. Merrifield.
The witnesses may or may not produce a document in both official languages, but the committee of the House of Commons will certainly provide the translation of the document in an expeditious fashion and send it out to the committee members as soon as possible, as soon as it's translated.
Liberal
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
I'm not going to belabour the point. I just feel badly for a lot of witnesses who work hard on their documentation, produce it in one official language, and then they get embarrassed and rejected at the committee, and it starts off their testimony in a bad light.