Evidence of meeting #26 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was scientific.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Bloc
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I would like to thank my colleague Mr. Cormier for informing me about how the committee operates. Obviously, I never said that my colleague in question was acting illegally or not following the Standing Orders.
I will repeat my question, if my colleague Mr. Cormier is able to answer it: When did the members of his party decide to invite the minister? That is my question. Can anyone answer it? I have already asked the question and I am asking it again. It is as simple as that. Can my colleagues answer it?
It seems important to invite the minister, since they are moving a motion. I would like to know when the decision was made and why the motion was not distributed earlier. Is that clear?
Liberal
Serge Cormier Liberal Acadie—Bathurst, NB
I still don't understand the question. You could clarify the situation, Mr. Chair, just to make sure, but based on all my years in committee, I don't think we needed to table a notice of motion. Anyone can move a motion at any time at the committee. If my colleague's question is about that, I think you might explain to him how it works.
I repeat that we are inviting the minister to appear before the committee after already having asked her to come here four times. We know she has a very busy schedule, but we want the minister here.
To answer my Conservative colleague, I would say that, when the minister appears before the committee to answer questions on the main estimates, in particular, we will be allowed to ask her any questions. The issue of marine protected areas could be part of the questions, just as we can ask the minister questions on any subject when she appears on other occasions. I think my colleagues will have plenty of time to ask her all the questions they want about marine protected areas when she appears, which should be no later than March 31.
Conservative
Clifford Small Conservative Central Newfoundland, NL
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'd like to amend my colleague's motion so that the minister would appear for two hours instead of one, and then, in the second hour, she could discuss conservation areas. That would take care of all the requests she's turned down so far to show up to the study we have almost completed.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Patrick Weiler
I understand you're moving an amendment to the motion that Mr. Klassen has tabled to invite the minister to appear for two hours rather than one hour. I guess that's the amendment that has been moved.
Would anyone like to speak to that amendment?
Mr. Klassen.
Liberal
Ernie Klassen Liberal South Surrey—White Rock, BC
Just for clarification, the minister can be asked to attend for two hours; that's not a problem. She may or may not be able to do that depending on her schedule. We can put in that request without any issues.
Liberal
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies, BC
I'd like to clarify that this committee has agreed to ask the minister multiple times to appear for two hours on the coastal and marine protections study the committee is undertaking. She has not responded. We've asked the parliamentary secretary, who should be the direct liaison between this committee and the minister on her appearances here, and we've heard no response.
To use the estimates as an excuse for the minister to be here to cover off the estimates and multiple other topics is not acceptable. She should be here for the two hours to cover the estimates, because we see there are significant cuts to the department's budgets this year. There will be, I'm sure, a full two hours of questions just on the estimates.
We will repeat the request for the minister to appear on the coastal and marine protections study the committee is undertaking.
Liberal
Bloc
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
In the end, I don't think I'll ever get an answer to my simple question about when my colleagues made the decision to invite the minister, but anyway—
Bloc
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC
Mr. Chair, you can see that the government member is unable to answer us, and while I am speaking—
Bloc
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC
—he feels entitled to cut me off and talk over me. I would ask you, Mr. Chair, to simply remind my colleague that I have the floor.
You know, this isn't the first time I've seen this government make it up as it goes along. This morning, there's further confirmation. It's unable to answer a simple question about when it made the decision to invite the minister. We previously asked for that, and it was important, but this morning, March 9, the government members woke up and decided that they were going to table a motion. However, when we ask them when it was decided that the motion would be tabled, they don't know. It's important to invite the minister, but we don't know when the decision was made. Mr. Chair, it's quite unusual, quite strange even, that people see something as important, but don't know when they made the decision to act on this important thing.
I don't think it's worth extending the debate for several hours. We already have an agenda right now. I will be pleased to accept the motion to have the minister testify here for two hours, as has already been discussed.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Patrick Weiler
Thank you, Mr. Blanchette‑Joncas.
I don't see any other speakers. Therefore, we can go to a vote.
Shall the motion be amended accordingly?
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies, BC
Could you read how the motion would be worded?
The Clerk of the Committee Maxime Ricard
We'll have to work the amendment of Mr. Small into the main motion later. To the text that you've received, if my understanding is correct, Mr. Small is proposing to add that the minister appear for a total of two hours and that the second hour be on the topic of our study on coastal and marine protections.
Conservative
Clifford Small Conservative Central Newfoundland, NL
I'd like to revise that to two hours. Just take out the coastal and marine protections part of it.
