Procedure and House Affairs Committee on May 29th, 2007

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Goodyear]

Are you clear on that, Madam Redman?

[Karen Redman, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Thank you very much. I am.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Goodyear]

I just want to make my colleagues on the committee aware of a situation here. Could the analysts and clerks listen as well to make sure I'm saying this correctly?

It's my understanding that this bill is slated to be discussed and debated this afternoon. Given that the bill is now deemed votable--and that should happen--I will need to table this report today. I will need consent of the committee to table in the House. I will need unanimous consent of this committee to table that report today. I'm assuming the clerks can get this done.

[James Robertson]

We have the report for you. You will need unanimous consent of the House to allow you to revert to routine proceedings at three o'clock in order to table that report.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Goodyear]

And the permission of this committee to table it today. Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Goodyear]

Mr. Reid, did you...?

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON]

Oh, yes, sorry. I'm so used to thinking along the lines of Bill C-415, it has occupied all of my brain. It has left little space for other thoughts.

Mr. Chairman, I wanted to bring forward a motion that I had given to the clerk a while back. I'm assuming that the clerk has copies of it and has distributed it. I would like to move the motion, then speak to it.

Perhaps we could ask the staff to distribute copies of the motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Goodyear]

Yes, we could do that. Of course we can.

As members know, there is no notice of motion for this committee, so Mr. Reid is putting on the table his motion. He has requested that we debate that motion next, and I'm at the will of the committee to do that. I have no problems doing that if the committee so wishes. However, might I draw to the attention--and Mr. Reid, with your permission—

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON]

Yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Goodyear]

Perhaps I could divert for two minutes, to draw to the attention of committee members the agenda items for this committee. You will see a number of motions that have come before this committee over the last several weeks. There are two opinions I would like to offer members for consideration.

One, a number of these motions do seem to deal with altering and changing the Standing Orders. A number of these motions do appear to require some in-depth debate, some research, potentially some witnesses, and certainly some research by our analysts on what decisions have been made in the past.

Looking at this list, it seems daunting. However, if we group them into sections where we might need reports and witnesses, with the committee's permission, a suggestion of mine would be to try to get these motions researched at once and submit papers to committee members, including the one that Mr. Reid is now tabling.

As well, colleagues, if you were watching yesterday, we have a piece of legislation coming before this committee again. It is the Conflict of Interest Code that the subcommittee has completed. These are issues that we can't lose sight of simply because we have allowed members to submit motions at any time.

I'm sort of appealing to the committee that, one, there is historical direction by all committees to deal with legislative issues before motions, which would mean Thursday's meeting would deal with Bill C-54. Colleagues, I'm simply appealing to your sense of fair play, that we would need to inform the Chief Electoral Officer. My understanding is that the minister is prepared to be here on Thursday, but we would need to give the Chief Electoral Officer, who makes sense to have as a witness, some forewarning.

I wonder if the committee would allow that these motions be divvied up and perhaps not debated at this time, but deferred to some future meeting, which would likely be the case anyway, given our time. But I'm simply throwing it out there, that we have only four weeks left and we seem to be getting a lot of business all at the last minute.

Having said that, Mr. Reid, could I have your opinion on that suggestion? Then we can deal with you, then Madam Redman--same opinion, please.

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON]

Sure. I think it's actually a very good way of going about doing things. I want to make sure you're suggesting that the motion I proposed be placed with the other motions. Are you sending them to a subcommittee? Is that what you're suggesting?

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Goodyear]

No, not at all. I only think that rather than debate this out today, where we don't have potential witnesses and we don't have research papers, you table the motion and it goes on the agenda.

I might further suggest that we deal with the motions in the order they came in. I recall your mentioning this motion...it must be a month ago, six weeks ago, perhaps.

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON]

I gave the notice on May 10, of course, yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Goodyear]

Correct.

And we have a motion on in camera proceedings by Mr. Preston. There are various motions that I'm not sure I want to mention out loud in public.

But members, you have in front of you a list from all parties, frankly, that we need to deal with. Perhaps the steering committee might want to choose in which order, but I suggest that they all be sort of looked at by our analysts, that potential lists of witnesses be drawn up, that briefing papers be written up, and that members be thoroughly prepared to debate these in a proper and thorough manner; and having said that, that we move on Thursday to legislation, Bill C-54.

Following the completion of that sort of precedent-setting legislation over motions, we move back to these motions in an order that, hopefully, the steering committee will have met and decided upon. No subcommittee whatsoever, just ultimately time--

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON]

I misunderstood that. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

On a point of clarification, Mr. Chair--

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Goodyear]

I'm going to go to Madam Redman first, because I saw her hand up.

[Karen Redman, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I would agree with that. I think you're very correct that legislation should supersede motions. I would certainly support your suggestion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Goodyear]

Thank you.

Mr. Lukiwski.

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

Just for clarification, I agree with what you're saying, but I'm saying there are, as you rightly pointed out, motions from all parties on this committee. Perhaps you could ask those who presented the motions individually if they're comfortable with doing what you suggest. I know Monsieur Guimond is not here, but Monsieur Godin is here and he has a motion, or at least his party has a motion, before us.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Goodyear]

That's a great suggestion. Obviously that's what I'm looking for right now. Monsieur Guimond is not here and he has three motions on the table. Perhaps someone in his party can speak for him after Mr. Godin speaks.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I would like to confirm that the New Democratic Party is withdrawing the motion by Libby Davies about changes to the Standing Orders. We are withdrawing the motion.

I would like to say that at this time the NDP is withdrawing the motion by Libby Davies to change the standing order.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Goodyear]

I appreciate that. Since that motion never made it to an actual movement, we don't need unanimous consent for it to be withdrawn, but let the record show that it's been withdrawn.

Are there any final comments?

Is that acceptable to your party, Madam Picard?

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Yes, we have no problems with this.