Evidence of meeting #100 for Finance in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was social.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Liberal
Rachel Bendayan Liberal Outremont, QC
I will be brief, Mr. Chair.
I just wanted to thank all my colleagues for welcoming me; I am most grateful.
I feel the love.
I would now like to respond to my Conservative colleagues.
Colleagues, I appreciate that the amendments you proposed are not ready in writing, but that's fine. I think we should get them any moment now. That's wonderful.
With respect to the witnesses you're suggesting, I think we can come to an agreement on these, and of course, Mr. Lawrence, the housing supply periods that you're proposing make a lot of sense.
In the spirit in which Mr. Blaikie just finished his intervention about perhaps getting to a vote on this important study today, I would suggest that we reserve, as it is indicated in the motion.... Let's see how things go. If we need additional meetings, that is possible, but to change the dates, as was proposed by the Conservatives, would seem to me to leave not enough time to complete the pre-budget consultations, which I know is a priority for this committee.
As colleagues also know, government legislation is going to be coming to this committee. I would propose, in the interest of the co-operation I'm seeing around the table, to accept the witness amendments and the housing supply period amendment proposed by my colleague Mr. Lawrence, and leave the dates as they are in Mr. Blaikie's motion. Again, this is with the hope that we can come to a vote before the end of our meeting today.
Conservative
Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
I'm sorry. How much time do we have left?
Conservative
Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
Can we saw off the difference here and just add two of the dates? Other than that, I agree with Ms. Bendayan's suggestion.
Your French is much better than Terry Beech's. I'm just going to say that.
Liberal
Rachel Bendayan Liberal Outremont, QC
I'm sorry, Mr. Lawrence; you're proposing what? Can you just repeat your proposal for the purpose of the vote?
Conservative
Conservative
Adam Chambers Conservative Simcoe North, ON
I think we had proposed four or five additional dates. I'd just say to add two additional dates to respect Ms. Dzerowicz's very good suggestions about having additional witnesses. I know we have a witness list that is not fully complete, so I would just say that if we can add two additional dates to the list.... Maybe we can do it by the number of meetings as opposed to the actual dates, which might be a little bit easier to manage from a proposal perspective for the clerk. That might clean it up.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca
I'll go to Ms. Bendayan and then MP Blaikie.
However, members, the fall economic statement and any government legislation would take precedence. Is everybody in agreement with that?
Liberal
Rachel Bendayan Liberal Outremont, QC
I'm happy to hear the mover of the motion on the proposal on the table. From my perspective, I think we're trying to perhaps schedule and confirm too much in the space of four minutes.
I understand that normally we have an opportunity to look at witness lists and submit other witnesses. There are also provisions in this motion that would allow us to add additional meetings if necessary. I would submit, given that we are coming up to four minutes before the end of our time, that perhaps we take the spirit of collaboration that we started this meeting with in order to advance an important issue—and that is housing.
NDP
Daniel Blaikie NDP Elmwood—Transcona, MB
Given the point that was made about October 2 and October 30, why don't we replace October 2 with November 9 and replace October 30 with November 20? That's a starting point. We can talk more about dates, but that would at least correct some of the issues with meetings that are superceded by the presence of the Governor of the Bank of Canada, although we may want to incorporate that into the study as he is one of the called witnesses for this study as well. On the other hand, we could just add November 9 and November 20 to the list. I'm fine with that, too.
Do you have a preference, Phil? Do you just want to add them?
Conservative
Conservative
Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
I just want the barriers to supply in there—as well as Ms. Bendayan, if I can say her last name here.
NDP
Conservative
Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
It would be to also study barriers to new housing supply.
NDP
Daniel Blaikie NDP Elmwood—Transcona, MB
Okay, so we'll add, in the itemized list of things to study, “barriers to housing supply”—
Liberal