Government Operations Committee on Dec. 13th, 2011

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

You can't call a point of order on a point of order. We have a point of order on the floor.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

So what is happening, Mr. Chair, is that they're circumventing the decision of the committee on the agenda by moving a motion during the interview time they have. If they wish to do that, we should automatically move to the committee business portion of the meeting.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Okay. You had two points of order. The first one was does he have the right to move the motion in the context of his questioning? My ruling is yes, after consultation with the clerk. Your second point of order is that as soon as he moves his motion, can you then move to go in camera? My ruling is yes, because as soon as he moves his motion, it's open for debate.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Okay, that's what I wanted to know.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Any of you could be given the floor in the context of that debate, and you may, at that time, choose to move in camera—

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

I appreciate that clarification.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

—which will be non-debatable and would be voted on immediately.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Alexandre, you have moved your motion, then, that those three NGOs be added to the witness list in the context of this examination. The motion is in order. Is there any debate on the motion?

[Scott Armstrong, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, NS]

I move we go in camera, please.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

The debate on the motion has been undermined by a motion to go in camera, which is non-debatable and should be voted on immediately.

Is there a point of order?

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Yes, a point of order.

If we vote to hold our meeting in camera, then my motion is moot. I therefore withdraw it.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

So who's playing games, really?

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

We're hoisted on our own petard here, in that you need unanimous consent to withdraw the motion.

The motion has been made to go in camera, unless we have unanimous consent.... Do we have unanimous consent for Alexandre to withdraw his motion?

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

We're not playing games like that.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

John, are you waiting to intervene, or are you voting in favour of—

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Unionville, ON]

I'm supporting the withdrawal.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Good, we're back in business.

Alexandre, you probably had about 15—no, you were out of time.

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

No, I have nothing. I have no time.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

You were out of time. You're always mischievous, anyway, when we do give you time.

The next speaker, then, is Ron Cannan. Ron, are you ready to take the floor?

[Ron Cannan, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In the spirit of bilingualism, bonne fête. Happy birthday to you.

I just wanted to pick up on your line of questioning, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Dion, you definitely come with high qualifications, in looking at your résumé. You've spent many years in the public sector and worked very closely with some high-ranking public servants, including at the Department of Justice and the Treasury Board. Maybe you could clarify—to give some certainty and confidence in your position—what policies, plans, checks, and balances you have in place that will help keep you truly independent and impartial.

[Mario Dion]

First of all, now that I have a much better understanding of my actual role than I did a year ago, I've taken concrete steps to not attend any luncheons or group meetings involving heads of agencies, deputy ministers, or CEOs, as defined under the act, to avoid any impression on the part of anyone that I'm being cozy with anybody who might be the subject of a complaint currently or in the future.

For each case that comes in, I have access to the case management system, so I can flag it the moment a case comes in, if I sense that there is a reason to recuse myself. I have done that systematically and I'll continue to do that.

At the end of the day, it's an act of faith, of course. People have to trust my judgment and my commitment to taking the adequate steps quickly, when such a conflict arises. But I'm fully committed to doing it. I started to do it, I've done it, and I think it's essential to building the confidence we are talking about.

[Ron Cannan, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

That's very encouraging. Thank you for that.

You report to Parliament on an annual basis?

[Mario Dion]

Yes.

[Ron Cannan, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

So what's your reporting timeline?