Government Operations Committee on March 6th, 2008

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Just for the record, I'm completely agnostic on this. I don't have faith in either of them, so bring them on.

Seriously, you've looked at the Rosdev file. I've got a letter to the minister, to which sadly I've not had a response yet, about the option to buy L'Esplanade Laurier, which goes back to 2005, and it's coming up again.

Rosdev owns L'Esplanade Laurier. I would like to know what is going on there with the minister and what the discussions were with Rosdev officials and certainly with the PMO.

So I'd like to get the minister here and then take it from there. So yes, bring Brison up front, or whomever, and follow the path. He was responsible.

So yes, I would support that.

[Daryl Kramp, Conservative, Prince Edward—Hastings, ON]

I would ask for a vote on that one, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

On the subamendment, citing Mr. Brison as well.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

I think Mr. Dingwall was in there too.

[An hon. member]

He was.

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

I'm not sure. I think he has to come as an individual. He can't come as minister because he's not the minister any more.

But you want us to vote on that particular motion, that we invite Mr. Brison?

[Harold Albrecht, Conservative, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

And his former chief of staff.

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

His former chief of staff? I don't even know who that was.

Mr. Dhaliwal.

[Sukh Dhaliwal, Liberal, Newton—North Delta, BC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I would personally not support whatever the friendly amendment calls for because the present unelected, appointed senator is campaigning in Quebec right now. He should have lots of time to come here. He's the only unaccountable minister who is not in the House of Commons to answer questions from the elected representatives of the people.

When it comes to the Honourable Scott Brison, he's not in charge there any more. I don't know what we are going to achieve by bringing Mr. Brison and his chief of staff. I personally would not support that.

I personally feel the Conservatives should take full responsibility, because they are the government of the day and they should be responsible for their actions and not pass the buck to the previous government. I would like to defeat this subamendment.

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

Okay. All those in favour of adding the part about Mr. Scott Brison and his chief of staff?

(Subamendment agreed to)

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

That was a subamendment. I'm getting lost in all the amendments here.

The amendment of Mr. Kramp that we remove the second paragraph completely hasn't been voted on.

All those in favour of removing the second paragraph completely?

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

Can you read the second paragraph? It's just to change one word?

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

No. As amended by your motion, which would invite Scott Brison, his chief of staff, as well as Mr. Fortier.... If we vote against this particular amendment we would delete the second paragraph, which includes the amendment.

All those in favour of Mr. Kramp's amendment to the main motion, to delete the second paragraph?

(Amendment agreed to)

Therefore, nobody is coming.

Now, on the main motion as amended, that--

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

Wait a second.

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

It has been deleted.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

The first paragraph remains.

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

Yes, that's what we're going to vote on.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

Yes, and the first paragraph right now is just to invite the Public Works minister.

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

No. No more minister, no more Scott Brison. It reads:

That the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates invite Public Works and Government Services officials who participated in the information meetings attended by representatives of the Prime Minister's Office regarding the dispute between Rosdev and Public Works and Government Services; and....

The last paragraph is deleted.

All those in favour of that motion, the first part of the motion?

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

Who is in agreement?

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

That still says the minister.

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

No, not the minister. It's the first part.

(Motion agreed to)

So we will hear from officials of Public Works. Thank you.

Mr. Kramp.

[Daryl Kramp, Conservative, Prince Edward—Hastings, ON]

I'm a little lost on the procedure here. I would like to ensure that we have the other individuals, Mr. Brison, etc., included in this motion. So do we have to bring this motion on the floor again now?

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

We deleted that portion whereby we were inviting Minister Fortier and where we added Mr. Brison. All we're having are the officials of....

[Daryl Kramp, Conservative, Prince Edward—Hastings, ON]

So we just have the top paragraph.