Evidence of meeting #1 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 40th Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
I have a question to the clerk. A meeting will never start unless you have a chair. If the chair and a government member are not present, does that allow the vice-chair to take the chair and still conduct the meeting?
The Clerk
If the chair hasn't designated an acting chair, then the committee would elect an acting chair, normally.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
So what this motion does is say that you must have an opposition member, but you don't have to have a government member.
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
Then let's have clarity and say one government, one opposition, just for clarity.
Conservative
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
One opposition and one government. We're just clarifying it.
The Clerk
We're getting confused, because we do have one motion on the floor, and his amendment really doesn't have anything to do with the motion that's on the floor--the amendment.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Yes, it does, because the motion is saying that you must have quorum.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
You're right. It's my error, and I'll take the blame here.
I think we need to keep our discussion at this point on Mr. Crête's amendment. What we are speaking to is whether, when we're travelling outside the parliamentary precinct, the meeting begins after 15 minutes regardless of the members present. Let's try to keep our discussion to that at this juncture.
Mr. Abbott.
Conservative
Jim Abbott Conservative Kootenay—Columbia, BC
I would like to suggest to Mr. Crête that having spent 13 years in opposition, I understand the member's concern. However, this is to receive evidence and have the evidence printed, as opposed to there being some voting or decision-making being made by the members of the committee. There is a significantly different level of trust that has to be put to this. While I understand Mr. Crête's position, I don't think it's an item of deep concern.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Okay. We're ready for the question on Mr. Crête's amendment, and then we will vote on the motion.
(Amendment negatived)
Conservative
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
My amendment to the motion is that for clarity we say “one member of the government and one member of the opposition”.
Conservative
James Lunney Conservative Nanaimo—Alberni, BC
I would like to return to the point raised by Dr. Patry. I think I heard him say that there were times when travelling when you found it necessary for good reasons to hear testimony by yourself as the chair at that time. If we're saying one and one, are we now precluding that this kind of scenario could happen, where only one member could actually hear testimony if the second one were disabled? That's not what you're saying?
Liberal
Bernard Patry Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
What we're saying is that when we're sitting here in Ottawa we need to have a number, and when we're out, after 15 minutes it could be one, two, or three, it doesn't matter, but you can hear witnesses.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
All right, so this is on meetings here in Parliament when we are not travelling. What makes up a quorum--that's the basic question. Does it need to have opposition? Does it need to have government members?
Any other discussion on that, or are we ready for the question?
All in favour of Mr. Obhrai's amendment that would say there must be one government member present for quorum.
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
No; one government and one opposition. I'm adding one member.
