Fisheries Committee on Nov. 14th, 2007

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

Exactly, because my problem with this, and I don't blame the individuals who are before us, is we know how the previous government had done it, and we know that the current government has done this in other committees as well. We got the playbook last April from the whip of the Conservative Party on how to disrupt, and nothing is stopping the Conservative side from not showing up at all, period. And if they don't show up and you have the opposition here, the witnesses go home. So I think three members, regardless of the party makeup, is fair enough, because the government.... I'm not saying these people would do it, but they could be ordered to do so, and if they're ordered to do so, then we're here and the witnesses who have travelled all this distance. So I think we should keep it exactly the way it is.

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

Mr. MacAulay.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

I'm certainly not saying that the people here would, but if the government decided, whatever government it might be, that they don't want to hear a certain group of people, all they have to do is not come and that freezes the committee. They cannot operate if this passes.

[Bill Matthews, Liberal, Random—Burin—St. George's, NL]

And the opposition can do the same thing.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Yes.

So if it's not in there at all, if you have enough people here for a quorum without stating that certain parties have to be here, then the committee can operate. If you pass this it means that one group can stop the committee.

If that's what the group wants, then okay, but I disagree with it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

Mr. Blais.

[Raynald Blais, Bloc, Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC]

I am going to call upon the logic that has always prevailed in this committee's work. Our previous procedure never caused any problems with respect to a reduced quorum. Its only purpose was to allow witnesses to be heard. So in my opinion, the proposed amendment is unacceptable. I would therefore invite colleagues to vote against the proposed amendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

Are there any other comments?

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Wetaskiwin, AB]

On a point of order, Mr. Chair, are we still discussing the amendment that was proposed by Mr. Allen?

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

We're still discussing the amendment, yes.

Are there any other comments?

Go ahead, Mr. Kamp.

[Randy Kamp, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission, BC]

I understand the comments that have been made, and it seems to me if we don't want to specify a member of the government being there then we should not specify a member of the opposition being there. We should just say three members.

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

Any comment?

Okay. We'll deal with the amendment put forward by Mr. Allen first.

(Amendment negatived)

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

Is there further discussion?

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Wetaskiwin, AB]

I'd like to propose an amendment where we remove the last part of the motion that says “including one member of the opposition, where three members are present”.

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

Is there discussion?

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

That's fair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

Any discussion?

Okay, the motion would read that the chair be authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence and to have that evidence printed when a quorum is not present, provided that at least three members are present.

[Some hon. members]

Good.

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

(Motion agreed to)

[Ken Epp, Conservative, Edmonton—Sherwood Park, AB]

And that's on the amendment, right?

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

Now we have to vote on the main motion.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

Moving along to the motion on the distribution of documents, it reads: that only the clerk of the committee be authorized to distribute documents to members of the committee, and only when such documents exist in both official languages.

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

You have to be patient with me, as I'm new here.

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

Control yourself.