Evidence of meeting #9 for Subcommittee on Food Safety in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was inspectors.
A recording is available from Parliament.
8:30 p.m.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Could we table that as evidence? We'd love to see that. Those are the minutes of the meetings.
8:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
I have a suggestion, if it's okay with everybody. We could ask the clerk, when he contacts them, to suggest to them to keep it to something they could give in a ten-minute presentation, or close to it. Is that acceptable to everyone?
We're just trying to come up with something. I think everybody here is okay with the intent of the motion.
Is there further discussion? We'll go to the vote.
(Motion agreed to)
Is there more business?
8:30 p.m.
Bloc
André Bellavance Bloc Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
It won't take long, Malcolm.
Since we're talking about witnesses, was the former Minister of Health, Mr. Tony Clement, invited? Did he respond? If he wasn't invited, why wasn't he? I asked for him to be present several times. I'd like an answer to this, please.
8:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
Former ministers, André. Do we have the power to bring them here?
8:30 p.m.
Bloc
André Bellavance Bloc Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
Why not? I asked for him to be present several times and I thought it would happen. Is it because I was the only one asking for him? We can go ahead with a vote and I can present a motion, if you'd like.
8:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
The clerk is just checking. He was never on the original plans.
Mr. Bellavance.
8:30 p.m.
Bloc
8:30 p.m.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Mr. Chair, I know he was on our original list, right. I believe he was on yours. Why is he not on the list?
8:30 p.m.
Cypress Hills—Grasslands, CPC
Why don't we just go and check it later and get back.
8:30 p.m.
Conservative
8:30 p.m.
Bloc
André Bellavance Bloc Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
Yes, but I recall that we went to your office on Parliament Hill, Mr. Chair, and we even discussed at some point the fact that we wanted to make sure Mr. Clement was invited to testify. It's important, he was the Minister of Health when this Listeriosis business arose.
8:30 p.m.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
I have a suggestion to make. It's not a motion or anything, but given that on this side of the table certainly most people seem to agree that the former minister was on the list, I wonder if we could make sure the former minister is invited to appear before this committee before the end of the session, seeing that the session is going to be up very soon. Whether he's on the list now or not, what I'm asking is that he be put on the list of witnesses in the next couple of weeks. Could that be done?
8:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
I'm not sure about that. We have quite an agenda. We know how hard it is to get our own minister here.
8:30 p.m.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
That's why I'm suggesting that it be done in the next couple of weeks, because I know how difficult it is to get hold of these people.
May 25th, 2009 / 8:30 p.m.
Cypress Hills—Grasslands, CPC
Are we finished on Mr. Allen's motion?
