Evidence of meeting #49 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 inmates.
A recording is available from Parliament.
February 15th, 2011 / 11:05 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
Colleagues, I call this meeting to order. It's shortly after 11 o'clock and I see a quorum.
Oui, Madame Bourgeois.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
Okay.
When we last met last Thursday, Mr. Warkentin was in full filibuster mode. We're about to hear about the birth of his recent child, etc., and that would be the first order of business, and it is committee business, so I'll restrict our going to witnesses until such time as the committee decides what it wishes to do.
Mr. Warkentin.
Conservative
Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB
Mr. Chair, I would suggest that it might be in the best interests of the committee just to move that motion that we deal with other issues regarding upcoming committee business towards the end of the meeting, and then we can hear from the witnesses who are assembled here.
Liberal
Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS
Mr. Chairman, I suggest we deal with the matter quickly, because I am certainly anxious, as I'm sure my colleagues in all parties are, to hear from the witnesses and to engage with them with questions and answers.
So let's deal with this matter quickly. There's no reason why we can't bring it to a vote.
Conservative
Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB
If we are going to speak to it right now, there are a number of points that I think are important for us to reflect on before making a decision with regard to this motion of Ms. Coady.
Is it the will of the committee, Mr. Chair, or is it your determination that we'll proceed and work through this right now?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
It's properly before the committee. It's your opposition. The motion is in order, and I don't see how we can but proceed, unless the committee directs me otherwise.
Conservative
Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB
Well, I'll give some assurance to members opposite that I will work to expedite the consideration of this towards the end of the committee meeting, but I do believe there's an important conversation that needs to happen around this committee table before we vote on it.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
I would have preferred that this be worked out between the parties. You're obviously not going to support the motion. You also want to say a number of things about the motion. I don't wish to have committee time used that way, but it's not in my hands; it's the decision of the committee.
With the consent of committee, I can reorder the agenda to do that, but in the event that it's reordered, I would expect that opposition members would want to know when they would be able to get to a vote on the motion.
Conservative
Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB
I would so move and make every effort, if it is moved, to consider and have a vote on that towards the end of the meeting.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
The only problem with that is there is a motion on the floor that you were in the middle of debating, I believe, when you adjourned.
I would like to recommend that we not only move this matter to the end of the meeting, but we go in camera to finish it, because I think the debate that's going to take place is going to go beyond the merits of the motion. I believe there are points that Mr. Warkentin wants to make that deal more with the management and administration of the government operations committee. Therefore, it should be an in camera debate after we hear these witnesses. That would be my recommendation.
Liberal
Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS
Mr. Chairman, we could agree to that, provided we're guaranteed that we'll vote today on this measure, before the committee rises.
Frankly, I'm not quite clear on why Mr. Martin wants to go in camera, but I'll accept that. From Mr. Warkentin's comments, I don't see why we couldn't do it now in five or ten minutes, if he's satisfied we can do this today at the end of the meeting in five or ten minutes.
At any rate, if there's the assurance, if we're guaranteed we're definitely going to vote on it today, then I accept Mr. Martin's proposal.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
Well, I interpreted Mr. Warkentin's comments as that it will come to a conclusion by the end of the day. I assume there's some consensus that we should go in camera towards the end of the meeting.
Am I interpreting the sense right and correctly?
Liberal
Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS
Well, let's hear Mr. Warkentin confirm that he will allow it to come to a vote—
Liberal
Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS
No, let's hear that we're not going to have a filibuster and he's not going to prevent it from coming to a vote today.
Conservative
Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB
I'll reconfirm. I am not going to prevent anything from coming to a vote.
Conservative
Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB
I'm going to make every effort to see a conclusion to this today.
