Procedure and House Affairs Committee on March 24th, 2011

[Marcel Proulx, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Can we have that wording?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Sure. You said something at the beginning that sounded to me as if it was exact. Go ahead and give it a shot.

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

Actually, we have the date, so we could cite the date. I think it was actually March 18 or something. I gave in my copy.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

It is at the end of paragraph 30.

[Andre Barnes, Committee Researcher]

At the very end of paragraph 30, it says: “On March 21, 2011, Ms. Biggs provided an example to the committee. The document showed that Ms. Biggs and another official had recommended a proposal...” and so on.

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

In that case, let me withdraw. You've included the evidence. I thought it hadn't been included. I owe you an apology, because I was actually going to be critical and say that it should have been included. So let me apologize for something I almost said. There is no need to put this in here.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Thank you.

(Paragraphs 28 and 29 agreed to)

On paragraph 30, Mr. Young.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

Chair, what the opposition coalition just voted to not accept in the committee were two documents, actually, that Mr. Reid proposed.

Is that correct, Mr. Reid?

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

That's correct.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

They both showed that it was normal procedure at CIDA, between the minister and CIDA, to--

[Bob Rae, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

We voted yes. We've agreed. We've accepted it.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

Thank you for doing that, because it's very important, colleagues.

The report should then therefore show that there were actually two documents. It indicates at the bottom of paragraph 30 that there was one document.

[Bob Rae, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

It is the regime versus the coalition, is it?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Okay, where am I? It's 28. I'm sorry, I thought I was at 30. I'm holding my thumb where I thought I was.

[Harold Albrecht, Conservative, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Mr. Chair, we jumped ahead to 30 because of the reference to 30 the analyst drew to Mr. Reid's attention.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

According to this, there is no opposition to paragraph 29.

Are all in favour of paragraph 30, as written?

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

I'm proposing an amendment to 30.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

We still have more here. Go ahead.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

The last sentence says “The document showed that Ms. Biggs and another official...”. It refers to one document. In fact, there are two documents. There are two precedents. Can we make that correction?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

It's easy enough to say that there were two documents.

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

For clarity, what it should say, if I may, Mr. Chair, is that “On March 21, 2011, Ms. Biggs provided two examples to the committee”--not “an example”, but “two examples”. And then, “These documents”--plural--“showed that Ms. Biggs and another official had recommended a proposal for funding and signed the documents on December 1, 2009”.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Are you okay with that?

I have Mr. Reid before you. We'll have Mr. Reid and then Mr. McGuinty.

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

It's not my amendment. I'm suggesting it as an adjustment to the amendment, which I think Mr. Lukiwski will accept.

There may be a problem with the dates on the documents, because if you take a look at them, there are two documents, which are dated with two dates, if I'm not mistaken, both in March 2010.

Am I wrong? I'm doing this all from memory, because I don't have them. Can I have them back here for a second?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Show those to Mr. Reid so he can get his dates.

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

There are two documents there. Where are the dates on these things? According to her cover letter, one is dated March 5, 2010, and the second one is dated March 8, 2010.