Evidence of meeting #1 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was briefing.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski
That's why you get the big bucks.
Are there any further amendments to the proposed routine motions?
Madame Vignola.
9:20 a.m.
Bloc
Julie Vignola Bloc Beauport—Limoilou, QC
I don't have an amendment, but being new to this place, I'd like to take the time to go through each one. I know it's longer and not very pleasant, but it'll go quickly if there aren't any amendments. It will help me get everything straight.
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski
It's a fair point, and I do want to make sure that all new members in particular have an opportunity to participate fully.
So why don't we do that, Francis? It should only take us a couple of extra moments. I think we can breeze through them fairly quickly because many of them are fairly self-explanatory.
Starting with “Analysts”, go ahead Francis.
9:20 a.m.
Liberal
Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
We put forward the motion on the analysts because we aren't the ones who write the reports. We need analysts for that. They are the institutional memory. In fact, at the back, I see one who is this committee's institutional memory.
That is why we moved that the committee retain the services of analysts, who will support us in our work.
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski
All those in favour of the motion on analysts as written?
(Motion agreed to)
Thank you.
Under the subtopic of “Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure”, go ahead, Mr. Drouin.
9:25 a.m.
Liberal
Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
Once again, we have operated with subcommittees. In the past, Mr. Lukiwski, we've operated through subcommittees, and we've operated through non-subcommittees. We had a good working relationship with this particular group that we had in the past. It's just whether we choose subcommittees to provide an agenda to committee. Again, this is very routine with other committees.
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski
Again, for the benefit of our new members, most other committees do have subcommittees. From time to time the subcommittee, in whatever form it has taken, was unable to come up with a clear consensus on a path forward, at which time the chair would take back the discussion and some of the questions to the full committee for consideration. But the subcommittee is a method in which we can, many times, set agenda items without bothering the entire committee, and then it comes to the fully committee and we're in full flight.
Again, all in favour of the motion on the subcommittee on agenda and procedure as proposed?
(Motion agreed to)
Mr. Drouin, on “Reduced Quorum”, we have an amendment that we've already passed.
9:25 a.m.
Liberal
Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
The chair referred to procedure. The idea behind this motion is to give witnesses appearing before the committee 10 minutes for their opening statements. Even then, it will depend on how many witnesses we have. It is up to the chair to determine whether we have enough time to hear from all the witnesses. It also deals with the number of rounds of questioning and the time allocated to questioners from each party.
9:25 a.m.
Bloc
Julie Vignola Bloc Beauport—Limoilou, QC
If I understand correctly, then, each party has six minutes during the first round.
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski
Again, for the benefit of some of our newer members, particularly the representatives from the Bloc and the NDP, for your information, in the previous Parliament, in the second round, the representative for the NDP had two minutes. This is actually giving you an extra 30 seconds each—
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski
—and reducing the amount of time from the government or the opposition.
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski
It certainly can.
Do we have any further discussion?
All in favour of the motion on questioning of witnesses as proposed?
(Motion agreed to)
Mr. Drouin.
9:25 a.m.
Liberal
Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
The next motion deals with document distribution, and this is as much for my anglophone colleagues as my francophone colleagues. It is important to make sure that all documents are available in both official languages.
So it's making sure, when we distribute documents to our committee members, that they're in both official languages.
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski
Again, for the benefit of our new members, from time to time we've had witnesses appear before this committee with not only their oral testimony but a written brief to accompany that. The odd time, they've only brought those written briefs in one official language. We are unable to distribute documents that are in only one official language, so we must require that any documents for distribution to this committee be in both official languages.
Is there a question?
Yes, Madame.
9:25 a.m.
Bloc
Julie Vignola Bloc Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Must we give 24 hours' or 48 hours' notice of documents to be distributed?
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski
We do, but it's not germane to this particular item on the routine proceedings. For example, if there are motions brought forward, presented by members of this committee, there are some timelines associated with this. This is simply to deal with the documents that we plan to distribute for whatever reason.
