Government Operations Committee on May 15th, 2023

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

I'm sorry. I thought we had agreed to it on division. Is that correct?

(Amendment agreed to on division [See Minutes of Proceedings])

I'll go to Mrs. Block, but I'm going to suggest that we just adjourn for the day and take this back up on Wednesday. We will be in room 410, which has limited space, so please keep that in mind before we invite such a large, involved crowd. Just be advised of that.

We have Mrs. Block and then Mr. Barrett and Ms. Vignola.

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

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I want to thank you for shepherding us through the very few amendments that we've managed to get through today.

I also want to register, formally, my frustration in having 12 amendments table-dropped half an hour before committee, especially given the extension of 10 days to submit them to the clerk.

I would suggest that, going forward, any subamendments should be brought to the committee ready to be provided to members; that we work ahead in preparation for the rest of the amendments we're going to be dealing with; that, if there are subamendments we want to propose, we speak to our colleagues ahead of time and come prepared; and that perhaps a new package of amendments be tabled or sent to us with the ones tabled today. I think that would help us with some of the confusion that was created.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Our legislative clerks would like to respond.

[Marie-Hélène Sauvé]

Yes.

Just to confirm, there wasn't enough time to update the package, but the 12 amendments that were received today will be included in the package. We'll send a new version of the package and of the agenda for the next meeting.

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

That's perfect. Thank you so much.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

I have Mr. Barrett, Ms. Vignola and then Mr. Fergus.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Thanks, Chair.

Just for the business of the committee, I'm supremely confident—or maybe optimistic—that we can move through this during the scheduled two hours at our next regular meeting.

We have a need to hear from department officials on the production of documents related to a different study. I'm just wondering if the plan is for that to be scheduled during regular committee time on the Monday following the return from our constituency week, two weeks from today, or if that's going to be in extra innings this week.

That's just so there's an understanding and an agreement in principle in this room that we're going to get to that. It may help us focus our minds to achieve the optimistic outcome that I think we're all hoping for at Wednesday's meeting with respect to moving through clause-by-clause.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Yes, that is a priority for me. Monday and Wednesday, June 5 and 7, two weeks from now, we will have the departments. A lot of them have already responded. We did have some time possibly on Wednesday, but with the way things have been going and with the lack of resources and the cancellations, I decided not to go ahead and add it for this Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:30.

It will be the first Monday back—

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Is that the 29th, Chair?

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

I'm sorry. It's June 5 and 7. On May 29, it's PSPC for the estimates. On the 31st, it's Treasury Board for the estimates. On the 29th, we're voting on the main estimates.

It's June 5 and 7.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

It's five and seven.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

I'm getting my calendars mixed up, but yes, it's June 5 and 7 in our regular allotted two-hour period at 3:30 and then at 4:30 for the departments.

Thank you for bringing that up, Mr. Barrett.

We have Ms. Vignola and then Mr. Fergus.

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

I'll be brief. At the beginning of the meeting, we agreed that in exchange for the Bloc withdrawing BQ‑1, the committee would adopt CPC‑3. I would like us adopt that amendment, to tie up this loose end with CPC‑3 and start fresh at the next meeting. I would like us to do what we agreed to at the beginning of the meeting, which is to adopt CPC‑3.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Sure.

Why don't we get Mr. Fergus first and then come back and discuss that quickly?

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Chair, that's basically what I wanted to suggest. By starting fresh, we can save our analysts and experts from having to do work that is no longer relevant. We need to make sure that the plans or proposals are renumbered consistently. That's it. The idea is not to go backwards.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Shall CPC-3 carry, then, colleagues, on division?

(Amendment agreed to on division [See Minutes of Proceedings])

That was a wonderful suggestion, Ms. Vignola.

Thank you, Mr. Fergus.

Thank you, colleagues.

It was a slow start, but we actually made it through a bunch. There are not quite as many in the last several pages. Hopefully we'll finish this up on Wednesday.

If there's nothing else, colleagues, we will adjourn. Thank you very much.