Government Operations Committee on May 6th, 2022

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Chair, I think the amendment is very reasonable, because we want to focus our work so that we're not asking an insane amount of work from the officials. It's about focusing on what we need to know.

So I think the amendment is very acceptable.

[The Chair, Conservative, Robert Gordon Kitchen]

Thank you, and thank you, Mr. McCauley.

I apologize that I should have gone straight to Mr. Housefather. With that said, I'll also indicate that the clerk has distributed the amendment to the committee members.

Before I go to Mr. Housefather, I also want to indicate to our witnesses that I suspect, by the look of things, this may go a little bit longer, so I think we will dismiss you at this point in time because we're past the hour. I want to thank you both for being with us here today. We appreciate that. For your testimony, as I indicated earlier, if you do have anything further that you would like to add, please submit it to the clerk and we will distribute that to the members.

I will dismiss the witnesses. Thank you very much for being here.

Mr. Mitchell, my father was the CO of where you work right now at Canadian Forces College, albeit in 1976, so I do understand where you're working.

My appreciation to both of you. Thank you very much

[Don Bureaux]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Thanks, Mr. Mitchell.

[The Chair, Conservative, Robert Gordon Kitchen]

Now we'll go to Mr. Housefather.

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Mr. Chair, I was going to start by noting that, yet another time, a motion has been put forward in the middle of questioning when there was only one Liberal questioner left. This is the second consecutive time this has happened. This easily could have waited until after the Liberal questioner had had the chance to ask the questions. We could have let Mr. Paul-Hus put forward his motion and then agreed to defer the discussion until after the last questioner. Again, without courtesy, that didn't happen. I am not pleased by that.

I'd like to understand, Mr. Chair, if you have you now ruled, based on the fact that Mr. McCauley had his amendment accepted by Mr. Paul-Hus as a friendly amendment, that the amendment is now in your view integrated into the motion, or does there continue to be a debate on Mr. McCauley's amendment? If there is not, I have an amendment to put forward.

I'm not giving up the floor. I would first like to understand, Mr. Chair, whether you have ruled that Mr. McCauley's amendment has been integrated into Mr. Paul-Hus's original motion or not.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Can I interrupt quickly? It may be out of order.

I'm happy to hear what yours is. We could just meld them all together, if you have a better one. I know it's not procedure, but I'd be happy to hear it, if it's just us chatting among ourselves to get a better one, and better information.

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

I appreciate that, but I'd like to understand whether the amendment is integrated or not, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Robert Gordon Kitchen]

I call for order. Mr. Housefather has the floor.

I understand that. I have ruled it is in order. We're discussing the amendment at this point in time.

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

That's what I wanted to understand, Mr. Chair.

You asked if Mr. Paul-Hus considered it friendly. Even though he considered it friendly, you're saying that we're still debating and voting on Mr. McCauley's amendment separately.

[The Chair, Conservative, Robert Gordon Kitchen]

That's correct.

At this point in time, we are discussing Mr. McCauley's amendment, which can be made at any time. I misspoke when I asked Mr. Paul-Hus for his, because it was put forward along those lines. At this point in time, I've accepted it.

We're debating the issue of Mr. McCauley's amendment at this point in time.

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

I understand.

Mr. Chair, I would ask to have the floor back after the completion of the discussion of this amendment in order to put in another amendment.

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Conservative, Robert Gordon Kitchen]

Thank you, Mr. Housefather.

At this point in time, we are discussing the amendment. Mr. Housefather wants to go back and speak to the original motion once we've dealt with the amendment.

At this point in time, seeing no further discussion....

I'm sorry, Mr. Paul-Hus. Your hand is up now, I see.

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Housefather, I'd like to say I'm sorry I cost the Liberals five minutes. That was not my intention. If the procedure allows me to do something other than use my time to table a motion, I would be happy to do it differently in the future. My intention was simply not to lose this opportunity to speak to the motion today.

On the main motion, our party, through Mr. McCauley, has tabled an amendment that restricts the scope of the motion, which was originally much broader. Now it's a matter of restricting the work that's being requested in order to have more specific reports on acquisition projects.

Can we vote on the amendment or should we go back to the main motion? These are formalities, but I would like us to go back to the motion as amended and discuss it, because it is preferable in terms of the work of the committee.

We can go back to the first motion; it is a technical issue for me. However, we have amended it to make it even more reasonable.

[The Chair, Conservative, Robert Gordon Kitchen]

At this point in time, for clarification, the amendment is on the floor. We need to make a decision on that amendment. Once that amendment is decided on, we will go back to the main motion or main motion as amended, based on the vote.

Mr. Housefather, is your hand up to discuss the amendment?

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Yes, Mr. Chair.

I would ask for a brief two- or three-minute recess so we could discuss the amendment and look at it. I haven't yet seen the written document you emailed us.

[The Chair, Conservative, Robert Gordon Kitchen]

I will suspend for two minutes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Robert Gordon Kitchen]

I'm calling the meeting back to order.

I gave you a bit longer than two minutes, Mr. Housefather. You have the floor.

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I wanted the floor, previously, to ask for the break. I appreciate it. Again, I will have another amendment once we vote on this one, if the discussion is over.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Robert Gordon Kitchen]

Thank you.

I'm looking around the room. Ms. Vignola has her hand up.

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

Frankly, the first version of the motion was excessively broad. It would have been a massive undertaking for departmental officials. I'm very pleased to see Mr. McCauley's amendment, which clarifies what is being sought and how long it will take. I welcome the effort that has been made in that regard and the consideration given to the workload.

[The Chair, Conservative, Robert Gordon Kitchen]

Thank you, Ms. Vignola.

Again, I'm looking around the room for hands. I'm not seeing any at this point in time.

I would call for the vote. Do we want a recorded division or are we okay with hands?

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Could we have a registered vote, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Conservative, Robert Gordon Kitchen]

We'll have a recorded vote.

[Parm Bains, Liberal, Steveston—Richmond East, BC]

Mr. Chair, on a point of order, I was just going to get some clarification, if you could read out what the vote is.