Government Operations Committee on March 1st, 2011

[A voice]

Yes, we can do that.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Yes, I think the witnesses do recall the requests that were made, and we appreciate your timely assistance in getting those documents to us. Thank you.

Colleagues, I'd like to move in and proceed with supplementary estimates (C) and the votes on them as quickly as possible so we can deal with some future business issues that need to be dealt with in an expedited fashion before we cut out of here.

Moving into the votes on supplementary estimates (C), pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(c), supplementary estimates (C) 2010-11, vote 1c under Privy Council; votes 5c, 8c, and 9c under Public Works and Government Services; and votes 1c, 15c, and 20c under Treasury Board, referred to the committee on Tuesday, February 8, 2011.

These are the questions I now have to ask you as a committee.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Is this usually done in camera, or done in the open? I can't remember.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

It's usually done in public, I'm being assured, and if you're comfortable to proceed in that fashion, we will.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Sure.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Okay.

Shall vote 1c under Privy Council carry?

PRIVY COUNCIL

Department

Vote 1c--Program expenditures..........$1,925,476

(Vote 1c agreed to on division)

PUBLIC WORKS AND GOVERNMENT SERVICES

Department

Vote 5c--Capital expenditures..........$205,356,366

Vote 8c--Real Property Services Revolving Fund..........$1

Vote 9c--Translation Bureau Revolving Fund..........$1

(Votes 5c, 8c, and 9c agreed to on division)

TREASURY BOARD

Secretariat

Vote 1c--Program expenditures..........$8,295,109

Vote 15c--Compensation Adjustments..........$10,790,570

Vote 20c--Public Service Insurance..........$63,300,000

(Votes 1c, 15c, and 20c agreed to on division)

[The Chair]

Shall the chair report the supplementary estimates (C) 2010-11 to the House?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair]

Thank you, colleagues.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

I'm going to move in camera so we can have a discussion about—

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chairman, before we do that, I wonder if I could move the motion I've been trying to move to get dealt with here.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Okay, we haven't moved into future business as of yet....

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

It's not future business, it's asking for information. I gave notice of this quite a while ago now, and I'd just like to get it dealt with as quickly as possible. As you'll recall, I raised it at the steering committee, and the feeling was that it should be dealt with at the full committee—

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

We'd be happy to do that.

We're going to suspend for just a minute to move in camera to deal with—

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

I'm sorry. If we're asking Public Works to provide information, which is what my motion asks for, why does that have to be in camera? It's not future business.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

It doesn't. I just think it should be together with all the other future business that we're discussing today.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

It's not future business. It's asking for information from a department.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

It's a motion. I can't see how a motion about—

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

A motion is properly before the committee, Mr. Chairman. I did it at the last steering committee, for crying out loud.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Yes. You do have to serve 48 hours' notice to the committee.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

You've had two weeks' notice.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

I don't believe it's been circulated to committee members.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

February 15, Mr. Chairman.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

It has apparently been served notice at the subcommittee, but it hasn't been brought to this committee to be translated and distributed—

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chairman, it's translated already, okay? It was sent on February 11 and was translated. It says, “Pursuant to the committee rules—”