Government Operations Committee on April 30th, 2013

[Michelle d'Auray]

Perhaps I can speak to the specific question as to why we haven't flagged it in the RPP.

Where there is a greening government component to it, whether it's an efficiency reduction or an improvement, we've actually tried to tag it by putting a little “g” beside the activity to show that it is actually linked to our sustainable strategy.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

But it doesn't mention cost saving.

I rest my case.

[Michelle d'Auray]

The cost savings are integrated, Mr. Chair, in each one of them. They contribute to greening, and the savings are attributed to that. So they're attributed to two specific areas.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Thank you.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Thank you, Linda. That's all the time we have for now.

We'll recognize Peter Braid, and that will probably bring us to our conclusion.

[Peter Braid, Conservative, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Hopefully I'll have time, in our remaining few minutes, for a question or two to our officials still on the main estimates.

Before I do that, I just wanted to ask that we come back to Madam Duncan's motion, which she moved at the outset of the meeting, and have a final discussion on that in our remaining couple of minutes. This relates to the invitation for the minister to attend.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

The motion was set aside, as per your motion.

[Peter Braid, Conservative, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Right.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

You'd like to bring it back to the floor as we speak. Is that correct?

[Peter Braid, Conservative, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Indeed. Perhaps we could revisit it briefly—

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Sure.

[Peter Braid, Conservative, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

—and sort of cleanly deal with this.

What I'd like to do, Mr. Chair, is actually propose an amendment to the original motion. Further to my previous suggestions, my amendment to the original motion would read: that the subcommittee look at inviting the minister if the committee's schedule permits it.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

I'm sorry, where were you going to add that language to the motion?

[Peter Braid, Conservative, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Well, I suggest that this would become essentially the motion that we discuss.

It's standard practice for this committee that all items of committee business be discussed, and fully discussed, at subcommittee. I'm suggesting that the original motion be revised to read as follows: that the subcommittee look at inviting the minister if the committee's schedule permits it.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Okay.

You've heard the amendment, that the subcommittee shall look at inviting the minister, etc., to appear if the schedule permits.

Now, you're talking about the schedule of the subcommittee or the schedule of the minister?

[Peter Braid, Conservative, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

The schedule of the committee.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Of the committee. Well, we're scheduled to meet at one o'clock tomorrow afternoon, and I'm sure we could find room.

[Peter Braid, Conservative, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Let's discuss that at the subcommittee and look at the schedule and the committee business, as we do within that forum.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

My only comment is that I think that's exactly what would have happened anyway. I mean, we deal with these things at subcommittee, and we're scheduled to.

Does anybody want to debate this?

Linda.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

I don't accept the amendment, because as you say, Mr. Chair, that is precisely what the steering committee—and then the committee—does. We revisit where we could put this in the agenda.

I just don't see it as a necessary amendment. I don't favour it, because it simply would allow for the Conservatives on the committee to vote against finding any room on the agenda.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Just to be clear, there's no such thing as a friendly amendment at committee. He's moving a subamendment. All you can do is vote it down, if you choose to.

Let's put the amendment on the floor.

Go ahead, Mr. Cannan.

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

Just to clarify, though, on Ms. Duncan's original motion, that wasn't intended to go to the subcommittee. It was to be voted on right here, to deal with it right now.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Yes.

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

Mr. Chair, you said that was the intention of Ms. Duncan's motion, and I just wanted to correct the facts.

Thanks.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

I was only saying that I had no doubt the issue would have been raised at our planning committee meeting tomorrow.

(Amendment agreed to)

The amendment is carried.

Any further debate on the main motion?