Evidence of meeting #15 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was clerk.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
The clerk says that he was given clarity that Minister Raitt and Minister Paradis should be coming for May 5. Failing that, he should call Brian Jean and Mr. Jim Wright. He did it and he got a “no” there. But Mr. Wright has agreed to come on May 26.
Who else did you call?
The Clerk
I called Derrick Snowdy. He was unable to make it for today, but he's available for next Wednesday, May 12.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Okay.
So Mr. Snowdy is not available for today, but he's available for May 12.
Those are the dates that he has given.
Yes, Mr. Holder.
Conservative
Ed Holder Conservative London West, ON
Just for clarification, I heard some comment that 25 people were invited.
My practical question to the clerk is how many did you invite?
Conservative
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
He invited ministers Raitt and Paradis, Mr. Wright, Mr. Brian Jean, and Mr. Snowdy.
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
I will have to look at the blues and the 25 names that you have suggested.
With that clarification, can we listen to what Ms. Coady is proposing?
The clerk is confirming that whoever he spoke with.... Mr. Snowdy has agreed to come on May 12. Now, if Mr. Snowdy has agreed to come on May 12, we can put it down, and decide whether we want him or whether we want to do the main estimates. Mr. Snowdy has given his commitment.
Mr. Wright wants to come on May 26. That is open.
And we can have the main estimates when we do....
May 10 is for Corrections, which is the departmental freeze, which we had agreed to. They have said yes.
So if everybody is on the same page as to who has said yes....
You were partially right: it's the clerk's list, not my list. He has Mr. Snowdy confirmed for May 12 and Mr. Wright confirmed for May 26.
For any other witnesses whose names were submitted, could we have a look and see who are those 25? Out of the 25, do you remember if you had made any suggestions? Your suggestions are what I'm--
Liberal
Liberal
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
First of all, I was on a bit of a rant--I'm a Newfoundlander, nonetheless--and the reason is that I'm quite frustrated that I'm looking at no witnesses today. When we discussed this last week, perhaps we weren't clear enough to the clerk that we wanted the witnesses to appear. Therefore, I'm bringing clarity and a suggestion as to how we proceed. If there was not clarity on Monday, I want to ensure clarity so that we can get through this.
As I said, I don't care if we have to have special meetings. I don't care if we have to meet during our constituency week. I think it's my responsibility as a member of Parliament to ensure public trust. And if the Conservatives are, as they say they are, open and transparent, then great, we'll get to the bottom of this sooner rather than later. But I continue to have lots of evidence coming forward that I need to question, and I would like to be able to do that. Hence, I wrote up a list of potential witnesses.
We have a list, which we gave, and now, to ensure clarity, I want to be able to go through it. This is how I would like to see the month. Everybody else can make their suggestions as well. I'm putting forward a suggestion on how we proceed in this committee to ensure that we get the work done that I've been sent here to do.
If I could continue with my list, that would be great.
I don't know where we stopped.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Just a second.
Mr. Martin, I have the blues, and I'll clarify that in a minute.
Go ahead, Ms. Coady.
Liberal
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
On June 2 I'm suggesting that we have what I'm going to call a panel of employees, the people who work in the various ministers' offices. I think I stopped at Sébastien Togneri, in Minister Paradis's office; Kimberley Michelutti, who is in Parliamentary Secretary Jean's office; and Doug Maley, who is in Western Economic Diversification. He is a public servant who has been part of the e-mails that have gone back and forth.
I'm suggesting that on June 7 we continue and have SNC-Lavalin. Again, we need to move forward on that committee business.
I think there was discussion about having Helena Guergis on June 9. I'd like to see her come before committee .
We also have to do Bill C-429. I suggested a date of June 14. Or maybe we need to continue with the Jaffer study. It depends on what continues.
On June 16, which is one of the final days of committee, I'm suggesting Rahim Jaffer.
That's what I'd like to suggest we proceed with in this committee.
Last week I gave lots of suggestions and handed the clerk a long list, and then I find that we have no committee witnesses. I want to make sure that we have committee witnesses. I want to make sure that everyone on that list is open and available to come before this committee.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Thank you.
I will read--from the blues--what the vice-chair had to say, first in terms of who was supposed to come:
Mrs. Alexandra Mendes: Raitt and Paradis, and if they're not available.... Ms. Siobhan Coady: Jean and Wright. Mr. Paul Szabo: And if you still haven't got anybody, I think Snowdy. The Vice-Chair (Mr. Chris Warkentin): Is that clear enough? Okay, let's carry on.
Then Mr. Martin said as follows:
Secondly, I think we really need to conclude this study of the possibility of undue lobbying or undue influence of lobbyists over the administration of the green infrastructure fund. I'd like to be able to conclude it to the point where we as a committee might even issue a report to Parliament. So whatever vacancies we have.... Personally, I'm disappointed we can't get out of the main estimates on the 10th and the 12th.
So you wanted to get out of the main estimates on the 10th and the 12th.
You're the committee. You're masters of your own destiny. Whoever told you--
