Government Operations Committee on Sept. 19th, 2024

[Julie Vignola, Bloc, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Maybe. We've had four, so I may be mixing it up.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

No, I think the indigenous study was between four and six meetings. This is on three.

[Julie Vignola, Bloc, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Okay. Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

There's no need to check the blues, then.

[Julie Vignola, Bloc, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

My motion doesn't have any changes other than the removal of certain words, as I said.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

I'm sorry, but could you repeat that, please? I'm not hearing very well.

[Julie Vignola, Bloc, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Given that no error has been made in the number of meetings, what I'm saying now doesn't change what I said a few minutes ago. Some words have been removed from the motion to make it flow better.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Thank you.

Mr. Kusmierczyk, you have the floor.

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

I'd like to move a hopefully friendly amendment. We'd like to move on this as quickly as possible. We think that this is an important study. I think, for the most part, that we are 99.999% on the same page. We want to move forward with this.

There are two amendments I'd like to bring forward. One is to remove the word “failed” so that it reads, “Given the environment department's audit of the administration of grants and contributions on green subsidies and the 'potential legal and reputational damage this represents'”, and it continues on. Really, just remove “has failed” so that it says, “Given the environment department's audit”. Then it continues on. That quote is—

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Was there a second one you had?

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Yes. The second one would be that, for now, we agree to three meetings. We remove the “at least” in the “three meetings” so that it is three meetings. Then, of course, after those three meetings, we can determine if additional meetings are required.

I would say that we recommend these two minor changes. Again, we full-heartedly support the thrust of Madame Vignola's motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Are you in agreement with that, Mrs. Vignola?

[Julie Vignola, Bloc, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

So far, I don't have any issues with it. I wonder whether three meetings will be enough. However, in the past, we've decided on a certain number of meetings and then agreed to add more.

It's easy to make changes in the English version. I'm now trying to make some changes in the French version. It's a bit more complicated, but that's part of our charm. I don't see any issues. If my colleagues agree, I'll send you the change as suggested.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Let's try to deal with Mr. Kusmierczyk's before we go back and forth. His is just changing—and this is up to you, Mrs. Vignola; otherwise we'll just go to a debate on that—“at least three meetings” to “three meetings”, and we're taking out “has failed”.

Are we fine with that, Mrs. Vignola? We'll consider that part of the amendment put forward by Mrs. Vignola.

We will start a speaking order on this motion as amended, with Mrs. Vignola's amendment now taking out the words “has failed”. Do you want to leave that in?

Go ahead.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I have assumed that Mrs. Vignola submitted an amendment, because she's already removed some words from where we left off with the motion on Tuesday, and that what Mr. Kusmierczyk is proposing is a subamendment to her amendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

It's a friendly amendment that she's accepted.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

It's a friendly amendment that she's accepted. Okay.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

It's to speed things along.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Can you read it?

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Sure, I'll have the clerk read it back as it is with the agreed to friendly amendment to Mrs. Vignola's amendment.

[The Clerk of the Committee, Mr. Marc-Olivier Girard]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

It would read as follows:

Given the environment department's audit of the administration of grants and contributions on green subsidies and the “potential legal and reputational damage this represents”, the committee dedicate three meetings to the grants and contributions process and call on relevant witnesses to appear, as decided by the committee.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Mr. Bachrach, go ahead on the amendment as it is.

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Yes, definitely.

I think I support the spirit of the amendment. To me, I'm somewhat agnostic. The idea here is that we're going to have three meetings to talk about this issue, and it comes down to whether we include pejorative language characterizing the audit. I don't know if you pass or fail an audit like that. I think calling it a “scathing audit” would be accurate, but again, the point here is to kick off a study to get answers and hold people accountable. I think the simplified wording does that nicely, and I support the amendment as suggested.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

I see nods all around. Can we accept that as is? Do we want to have the clerk read it back just one last time, or are we comfortable with that?

(Amendment agreed to)

That's wonderful. Thank you, Mr. Kusmierczyk, Mrs. Vignola, Mrs. Block and Mr. Bachrach. We will consider it.

For the motion as amended, I see nods all around.

(Motion as amended agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

That's wonderful. If nothing else, maybe we can get out for lunch early. Thank you very much, everyone.

We are adjourned.