Government Operations Committee on Feb. 16th, 2016

[Yasmin Ratansi, Liberal, Don Valley East, ON]

I move that we adopt the time for opening remarks and questioning as presented by the government.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

Monsieur Blaney.

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

Mr. Chair, I would like to offer a quick reminder while our colleague is looking over the proposal. As a member of the committee, I always expect to receive documents in both official languages when they are formally distributed to the committee.

Thank you.

[Yasmin Ratansi, Liberal, Don Valley East, ON]

Mr. Chair, it is in both languages.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

Erin, any questions or comments?

[Erin Weir, NDP, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

I think we're good with the PROC recommendation.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

All right.

We have a motion on the floor to adopt the government submission. I would ask for any further comments.

[Yasmin Ratansi, Liberal, Don Valley East, ON]

If Mr. Weir wants the PROC recommendation, which is seven-seven-seven-seven, that gives you one extra minute. We have—

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

PROC lets the Liberals go first.

[Yasmin Ratansi, Liberal, Don Valley East, ON]

No, we're fine.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

No, but that PROC is different.

[Yasmin Ratansi, Liberal, Don Valley East, ON]

Okay. So the PROC submission is Liberal, Conservative, NDP, and Liberal; then Conservative, Liberal, Conservative, Liberal, and NDP. If you're fine with that, we have no problem.

Mr. Chair, we are flexible.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

Mr. Weir, the NDP would like the Procedure and House Affairs committee submission.

[Erin Weir, NDP, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Yes, we would go with the PROC submission.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

We do have a motion upon the floor. We need to vote, unless the government wants to withdraw its motion.

[Yasmin Ratansi, Liberal, Don Valley East, ON]

I will withdraw that motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

All right.

The clerk, quite correctly, has suggested that it would be helpful if we could have the entire motion read into the record.

If we're going to go with PROC, Erin, could I have you please make a motion to adopt the Procedure and House Affairs rotation and time?

[Erin Weir, NDP, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Sure, I'm happy to make a motion that we adopt the Procedure and House Affairs recommendation on the time allocation for this committee.

[Yasmin Ratansi, Liberal, Don Valley East, ON]

And speaking rotation.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

And speaking rotation.

[Erin Weir, NDP, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

That's correct.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

Seconded by Mr. Whalen? Okay.

(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

The second point that I think would be helpful to the committee is if we could determine whether or not we need a subcommittee on agenda and procedure.

Just in the way of background for new members, committees themselves determine how they wish to set their own agenda. It can be done one of two ways. We could adopt a subcommittee, which many committees do, composed of the chair of the committee, the two vice-chairs, and a further member from the official opposition. The subcommittee would meet on an ad hoc basis to discuss future business for the committee. They would normally agree by consensus on what studies or business this committee should be engaged in and bring that back to the full committee for ratification.

The second method would be to have the full committee discuss what business we want to deal with.

It's a matter of whether or not we take a subcommittee approach to it, which is obviously a smaller committee, and some would suggest more efficient, or do it as a full committee.

Are there any comments? I look to the government to open that.

[Yasmin Ratansi, Liberal, Don Valley East, ON]

In the past, when we were in opposition, we adopted the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure because it keeps the focus, and you can bring back all the information that you want to the committee at large. This does not disallow the committee to vote on it, as they have the right to.

I think a small committee determining the agenda would be a better fit. We have a long list of agencies, boards, and everything under our belt. It would help if we kept that process.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

Thank you.

Any other comments?

Would you care to put that in the form of a motion?

[Yasmin Ratansi, Liberal, Don Valley East, ON]

Yes.

That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be established and be composed of the Chair, the two Vice-Chairs, and one government member.