Government Operations Committee on Oct. 2nd, 2012

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

It's an agenda item for future business. We do those in camera.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

I'm very anxious to get in camera as quickly as possible.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

I'll move that we go in camera.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

There's a motion on the floor, I believe, that will have to be dealt with first.

The ruling of the chair is that Mr. McCallum had the floor and moved his motion. That's in order, and the motion will have to be dealt with before you have the floor to make a motion to go in camera, which is not debatable, I believe. Technically, this motion was put on the floor while we were in full session.

You have the floor, but if you could be brief, I'd appreciate it. We have two items we have to deal with in camera.

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

I will be brief.

I move that the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates request an appearance from the National Fighter Procurement Secretariat to discuss their objectives and plans in relation to the purchase of replacement aircraft for the CF-18.

To me this is a no-brainer. This is a huge issue. There's been a lot of controversy about it. It is part of government operations, so I think it would be quite normal and in order for us, as a committee, to request the presence and testimony of this group.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Is there any further debate on the motion?

Go ahead, Linda.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

I'd like to support the motion. The secretariat is under Public Works and Government Services. It seems sensible that we have in either the minister or the secretariat simply to report to us. We could ask some questions.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Mike.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

When we deal with future business items, future agenda items, which this committee did last week, we do that in camera. I move that we move in camera to discuss this motion.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

I think that can wait. He had the floor, so—

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

No, I have the floor. I can move to go in camera.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

The ruling of the chair is that Mike's motion to move in camera is in order. A motion to move in camera is not debatable. It goes directly to a vote.

(Motion agreed to on division)

I declare this meeting suspended.

[Proceedings continue in camera]