Evidence of meeting #1 for Government Operations and Estimates 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
Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB
My understanding is that there's an all-party discussion right now on having the vote on supplementary estimates in the House on February 12, so next Tuesday would be the last day that our committee could do it. I think it's probably advisable that we consider it either on this coming Thursday, two days from now, or else on Tuesday, because otherwise we're going to be high and dry. They'll be considered as having been referred, but I'd like to see them at this committee before that time.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Derek Lee
If the House believes this committee could do anything but take a cursory look at these estimates and get it reported by next Tuesday.... We in fact could not look at it next Tuesday and report back by next Tuesday. It could not be done.
Conservative
Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB
No, it's Thursday. February 12 is a Thursday. But I take your point, in that it's still a constrained timeframe.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Derek Lee
That's two days before. That is, in theory, doable. Thank you for that.
The clerk has just said that we need three days to get a report into the House. Of course, there are reports and there are reports. If the report simply says that we looked at it, it's okay, see you later Jack....
Mr. Warkentin.
Conservative
Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB
Maybe we could look at supplementary estimates this Thursday, not tomorrow but the following day.
Liberal
Conservative
Liberal
Dan McTeague Liberal Pickering—Scarborough East, ON
Chair, I have no difficulty with doing this as early as possible if it's going to be one day, but we don't know that yet. I think there seems to be an interest in doing this as early as Thursday, but it depends on what happens. I don't know if the standing rules allow us to receive that, but I think there's certainly a drift here, or maybe I could call it a consensus, to receive this earlier.
Ms. Hall Findlay may have a comment about this as well, Chair.
February 3rd, 2009 / 12:30 p.m.
Liberal
Martha Hall Findlay Liberal Willowdale, ON
I think the concern is not so much that we start this quickly but whether there might be enough time. I think that at the very least we're all in agreement that we should start this and get as much done as possible on Thursday. Is that fair?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Derek Lee
Okay, within the next few hours we will attempt to assure ourselves of appropriate witnesses to deal with the whole supplementary estimates (B) this Thursday. If members wish to have a particular witness invited, they should advise me and/or the clerk to ensure that invitation is extended or at least cleared.
Okay, we have breaking news. The three-day report preparation period described by the clerk was based on existing procedures and resources. Apparently he has just been advised that the House leaders are discussing the possibility of increasing the resources available so that the three-day work time becomes a one-day work time, so we could complete a report and have it into the House a day later. I don't know if that's 24 hours or one sleep, but that is a work in progress; it's not clear yet. In any event, based on the factors out there, we should try to get the supplementary estimates started this Thursday. We'll figure out where we go after that.
In the meantime, if it's okay with you, I'll work up something on the stimulus spending side but won't insert it into our agenda until we have a reasonable consensus and we're sure we can complete the supplementary estimates piece.
Mr. Warkentin.
Conservative
Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB
I'd like to move a motion that we proceed with the agenda item to look at the supplements this coming Thursday, with the exception that if you're unable to get witnesses, we'd move it to Tuesday.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Derek Lee
All right, that captures the essence of it. I like that motion.
Mr. McTeague.
Liberal
Dan McTeague Liberal Pickering—Scarborough East, ON
I appreciate the need for a motion, but I think there is certainly consensus. I don't think we need to go through a formal process. I think it is very clear on the record that we follow the discretion of the chair, and I agree with Mr. Warkentin.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Derek Lee
I see heads nodding around the table. There are no dissenters.
Congratulations, we've captured our future business without having to wait two weeks to talk about it. I congratulate all the members.
Is there any other business we need to take care of before we adjourn?
Thank you, colleagues. We're adjourned.