Government Operations Committee on June 14th, 2011

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

It is agreed, not quite immediately.

Shall vote 10a under National Defence carry?

National Defence Vote 10a--To authorize the transfer of..........$18,386,400

(Vote 10a agreed to on division)

Shall the chair report the supplementary estimates (A) 2011-12 to the House?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen.

We do have some brief committee business. We have been informed by the Minister of Health that she is only able to be with us on Monday morning, from 10 a.m. to noon, and in fact for only one hour of that time period.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

The second hour is for estimates.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Yes.

This is the change that's just been announced during this meeting. In that case, we would consider the Department of Health estimates from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and the Treasury Board estimates from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., with the minister with us for one of those hours as well. It's the best we can do.

Is it agreed that we will book those meetings and attend?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Great. Thank you for your cooperation.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

We're going to meet in the morning and the afternoon.

I do have to comment, Mr. Chair. You thanked the ministers that were here today. The ministers are busy and they are making every effort to be here. They just couldn't make it next week for the meetings and the time slots that we had. It doesn't mean that they're not interested in coming.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

I didn't mean to imply they weren't.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

That was the implication.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Let's face it. We are trying to get all this done by the 16th and it's not going to happen now because two of the ministers, even though they were sitting in their chairs in the House of Commons, wouldn't answer a call to our committee to defend their own estimates.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Well, they are coming.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

They're asking our permission to spend money. Let's keep it in perspective here. In the future, when we reconvene in the fall, we're going to be a lot more forceful in what ministers attend and when, believe me.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

You need to be fair, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

We'll be fair and we'll be firm.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Remember, you're the chairman.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

With the emphasis on firm.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Remember, you're the chairman now.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

The meeting is adjourned.