Thank you.
Evidence of meeting #2 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 terms.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #2 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 terms.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Derek Lee
Well then we're done.
The witnesses are free to leave the room at this time if they wish. Thank you very much for coming on short notice, and I know we'll see you again soon.
Now we'll continue with the orders of our day. There is a notice of motion from Madame Bourgeois that proposes an item of future business. Now, I had assumed that since the committee was working on this in the last session or last Parliament, it would want to continue that work. So I'm willing to....
I suppose I should be quiet and let Madame Bourgeois introduce it. We have time to consider the motion now. We don't have to conclude debate; we don't have to adopt the motion yet. And I'll note that we haven't had a steering committee discussion, nor have we had a discussion about other priorities and other issues that are before the committee.
But there is a notice of motion here, and I'm happy to recognize Madame Bourgeois on that.
12:50 p.m.
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
It's simply a matter of logic. The committee began its business, witnesses had to come and appear, but we somewhat abandoned them by simply telling them that business would resume upon our return to the House of Commons. Those people are still waiting. It makes no sense to leave them in that situation. Those who previously spoke don't know the outcome of our proceedings, whereas those who are still waiting to testify are wondering what's happened to us.
It's simply a matter of logic. However, I'm making it a priority so that we can dispose of this matter as soon as possible and the steering committee can then deal with other matters.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB
I think it's important, number one, to complete this thing that we were working on in the last Parliament. But I also think it would be important for the other committee members—because there are a number who are new—to get a rundown of maybe where we're at. Some of the situations have changed, so we may want to recall some of the people whom we spoke to. We'll maybe have to have a discussion about that. You'll know some folks that you've spoken to.
Anyway, I'm just not sure that all of the points of the previous study are entirely relevant. But, more importantly, things have changed, so there may be other relevant points that we need to take a look at.
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
Rob Anders Conservative Calgary West, AB
I don't see any problem with the motion.
I am spooked by all the talk of lots of subcommittee work and steering committee stuff. I just generally believe that we can deal with it here, rather than have to set up a whole new slate of meetings that will further complicate all of our lives.
Anyhow, I just wanted to get that on the table.
12:50 p.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
I don't disagree that we should continue this work, but I did want to ask you, Mr. Chairman, one thing before we adjourn at one o'clock. I too would like a copy of the information that Mr. McTeague asked for—if I can put this request on the record.
I too have a notice of motion that I'd like to table once we're done with Madame Bourgeois' motion.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Derek Lee
You're free to give notice of motion at any time. We're delighted to receive all these cards and letters that are coming in.
Ms. Hall Findlay.
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
Martha Hall Findlay Liberal Willowdale, ON
Mr. Warkentin mentioned the fact that there has been a lot of work done on this issue before and that we may need or want to bring more witnesses, or the same people, back. I think from an efficiency perspective, for those of us who are new, we can certainly read the transcripts and the information that the committee has seen in the past. I don't want to waste the committee's time rehashing old news, but to the extent that there is new...over the course of it....
But I fully support the motion, in the sense that there's clearly more work to be done. I just want to make sure that we don't set ourselves up to waste time. Those of us who are new can certainly do the background work.
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Derek Lee
Okay. I think we'll just put the motion, if Madame Bourgeois wants it put. The motion clearly has the committee taking up this issue as a priority. In other words, it's near the top rather than at the bottom of the list of work we may be undertaking here in the near future. There also has to be some discussion among members, whether it's informal, whether it's at a steering committee, or whatever.
The framing, the continuation of this study, is going to have to be planned out. We're going to have to look at the witness issue, as Mr. Warkentin pointed out. We're going to have to see where we're going, and I'm going to ask staff to do a bit of a workup, summarize the evidence that has come in so far, distribute it to committee members, and then we'll put our heads together on future witnesses, get some scheduling nailed down, and proceed with that.
Do you want me to put the motion now?
Obviously not.
12:55 p.m.
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
I'd like that very much, but I simply want some clarification. The translators translate very well, but sometimes they don't have enough time.
We're talking about resuming proceedings giving priority to the study of the procurement process. I don't want to strop proceedings on other subjects. We can very well study a number of subjects at the same time. Our researchers have already prepared a summary. If we could beging this study next week, next Thursday, for example, we would eliminate that. Perhaps we'll have two or three meetings before we have a suitable appearance before the people who will be here. Afterwards, we'll go on to something else.
If we study it on a priority basis next Thursday, we'll dispose of the matter. What do you think of that? I want everyone to discuss it. Mr. Anders, I don't want you to think it's a subcommittee that does that. We do it all together.
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Derek Lee
Look, your chair wants to get this item of business. There seems to be universal appetite to deal with this, so could we just please put the motion and deal with it?
(Motion agreed to)
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Derek Lee
The chair has one other item of business here. The clerk recommends that on the subject of procurement we adopt the motion now. I'm quite sure we do need it. I'm going to have Mr. McTeague read it instead of the chair reading. It's simply a motion to bring forward the evidence received on this subject in the last Parliament to this one.
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
Dan McTeague Liberal Pickering—Scarborough East, ON
As there appear to be translation problems, I'm going to read the French version of the motion concerning evidence from a previous session:
Que les témoignages et les documents recueillis au Comité permanent des opérations gouvernementales et des prévisions budgétaires au cours de la deuxième session de la 39e législature au sujet de son étude du processus d'acquisition au gouvernement fédéral soient pris en considération par le Comité dans la session courante.
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Derek Lee
It has been moved. I'll put the question if there's no debate.
(Motion agreed to)
12:55 p.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Very briefly, Mr. Chairman, I would like to submit this notice of motion.
I move that on page 90 of the supplementary estimates (B), the amount of $125,000 transferred to Natural Resources to support the Chrysotile Institute be reduced to $1.
I will submit that to the chair.
1 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Derek Lee
I'll take that as notice. We won't be able to put it today. We have a 48-hour notice rule. That's fine. Thank you.
1 p.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
I know we don't have time to debate it, but I would argue that you don't need notice when we're already dealing with the supplementary estimates. I'm doing this as an abundance of caution.
1 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Derek Lee
All right. It is a motion of some substance and I'm sure it will require some debate. We'll have to feather this into a meeting before we conclude our deliberations on these estimates.
This is a line item in the current estimates, correct?
Just to help, Mr. Martin—and I'm doing this on the public record—our researcher points out that the line item shows a transfer of the money from one agency to another. If we negative the item, it won't negative the expenditure. The expenditure will simply stay with the agency it's with. The estimates are simply, as I understand it, recognizing the movement of the money. If we stop the movement of the money, the expenditure will still be there. So it may or may not accomplish the objective you intended, but I'd invite you to consider that.
However, your notice of motion is here. We will take it up pretty much forthwith...or at a very future meeting. Colleagues should be prepared to deal with it.
Is there any other business today?
Seeing none, we can adjourn. Thank you, colleagues.