Fisheries Committee on Oct. 14th, 2020

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

I will ask the clerk.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

I had a motion earlier that might fit in here.

May I move the motion?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Madam Gill, is your motion an amendment to the original motion?

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

No.

It's an error. That's fine, thank you.

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

On a point of order, Mr. Chair, could the motion that we are debating right now be read again?

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

It is the routine motion for the subcommittee on agenda and procedure:

That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be established and be composed of five (5) members; the Chair, one member from each Party; and that the subcommittee work in the spirit of collaboration.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Hearing nothing else on that particular one, we will go to a recorded vote, Nancy, when you're ready.

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair. Could we simply ask if there are any opposed to this and, if not, then it could be passed as unanimous without consuming so much time for recorded votes?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

That's agreed. Thanks for that, Mr. Arnold.

Is there any opposition to this motion?

(Motion agreed to)

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Mr. Chair, the third routine motion is “Meeting Without a Quorum”:

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 four (4) members are present, including two members of the opposition and two members of the government, but when travelling outside the parliamentary precinct, that the meeting begin after fifteen (15) minutes, regardless of members present.

(Motion agreed to)

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Mr. Chair, the fourth routine motion is “Time for Opening Remarks and Questioning of Witnesses”. I understand there may be an amendment to this.

The motion is as follows:

That the witnesses from any one organization be allowed up to six (6) minutes to make their opening statement; that, during the questioning of witnesses, at the discretion of the Chair, there be allocated six (6) minutes for the first questioner of each party as follows: Conservative Party, Liberal Party, Bloc Québécois, New Democratic Party; for the second round and subsequent rounds, the order and time for questioning be as follows: Conservative Party, five (5) minutes, Liberal Party, five (5) minutes, Conservative Party, five (5) minutes, Liberal Party, five (5) minutes, Bloc Québécois, two and a half (2.5) minutes, New Democratic Party, two and a half (2.5) minutes.

I understand there may be an amendment, Mr. Battiste.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

I think we've heard it, but we probably have to hear it again now. Mr. Battiste, you'll have to go through that again.

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

The amendment is as follows:

That witnesses be given five (5) minutes for their opening statements; that whenever possible, witnesses provide the committee with their opening statements 72 hours in advance; that, at the discretion of the chair, during the questioning of witnesses, there be allocated six (6) minutes for the first questioner of each party as follows: Round 1: Conservative Party; Liberal Party; Bloc Québécois; New Democratic Party. For the second and subsequent rounds, the order and time for questioning be as follows: Conservative Party, five (5) minutes; Liberal Party, five (5) minutes; Bloc Québécois, two and a half (2.5) minutes; New Democratic Party, two and a half (2.5) minutes; Conservative Party, five (5) minutes; Liberal Party, five (5) minutes.

[The Clerk]

Mr. Chair, if I can intervene, I would possibly suggest members keep in mind that when the text of a motion refers to 72 hours, maybe it would be a good idea to specify “72 hours whenever possible” because witnesses are not always invited more than 72 hours ahead of time. Also, sometimes it is not feasible for them to provide a full text to us within 72 hours. I want to let the chair know that it would probably be a good thing to keep in mind, however, that it is “whenever feasible and whenever possible”.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Mr. Battiste, as the mover, are you in agreement with that statement by the clerk?

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Yes, I think it's very reasonable.

(Amendment agreed to)

(Motion as amended agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Routine motion five is on “Document Distribution”:

That only the clerk of the committee be authorized to distribute documents to members of the Committee only when the documents are available in both official languages, and that witnesses be advised accordingly.

(Motion agreed to)

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

On “Working Meals” the motion is:

That the clerk of the committee be authorized to make the necessary arrangements to provide working meals for the committee and its subcommittees.

(Motion agreed to)

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Mr. Chair, this is a routine motion on “Travel, Accommodation and Living Expenses of Witnesses”:

That, if requested, reasonable travel, accommodation and living expenses be reimbursed to witnesses not exceeding two...representatives per organization; provided that, in exceptional circumstances, payment for more representatives be made at the discretion of the Chair.

(Motion agreed to)

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Mr. Chair, this is a routine motion on “Access to In Camera Meetings”:

That, unless otherwise ordered, each committee member be allowed to have one staff member at an in camera meeting and that one additional person from each House officer's office be allowed to be present.

(Motion agreed to)

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Mr. Chair, this is a routine motion on “Transcripts of In Camera Meetings”:

That one copy of the transcript of each in camera meeting be kept in the committee clerk’s office for consultation by members of the committee or by their staff.

(Motion agreed to)

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Mr. Chair, this is a routine motion on “Notice of Motion”:

That a forty-eight (48) hours notice, interpreted as a two (2) nights, shall be required for any substantive motion to be considered by the Committee, unless the substantive motion relates directly to business then under consideration, provided that (1) the notice be filed with the clerk of the committee no later than 4:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday; that (2) the motion be distributed to members in both official languages by the clerk on the same day the said notice was transmitted if it was received no later than the deadline hour; and that (3) notices received after the deadline hour or on non-business days be deemed to have been received during the next business day and that when the committee is travelling on official business, no substantive motions may be moved.

(Motion agreed to)

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Mr. Chair, this is a routine motion on “Orders of Reference from the House Respecting Bills”:

That, in relation to Orders of Reference from the House respecting Bills, (a) the clerk of the committee shall, upon the committee receiving such an Order of Reference, write to each member who is not a member of a caucus represented on the committee to invite those members to file with the clerk of the committee, in both official languages, any amendments to the Bill, which is the subject of the said Order, which they would suggest that the committee consider; (b) suggested amendments filed, pursuant to paragraph (a), at least 48 hours prior to the start of clause-by-clause consideration of the Bill to which the amendments relate shall be deemed to be proposed during the said consideration, provided that the committee may, by motion, vary this deadline in respect of a given Bill; and (c) during the clause-by-clause consideration of a Bill, the Chair shall allow a member who filed suggested amendments, pursuant to paragraph (a), an opportunity to make brief representations in support of them.

(Motion agreed to)

[Richard Bragdon, Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Mr. Chair, I'm wondering if we can move into committee business at this point for the purpose of tabling some motions. I have some motions we'd like to submit at this time.

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Mr. Chair, I had my hand up in hopes of also raising a motion that—