Evidence of meeting #2 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
We'll start our meeting of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.
We have a number of things to cover today, if we can get to them, but the first thing I want to cover is that the Subcommittee on Private Members' Business met just before this meeting and has prepared a report, or will have prepared a report, for the House for tomorrow.
Thank you, Mr. MacKenzie and the Subcommittee on Private Members' Business.
When we last met—
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
Mr. MacKenzie, would you like to tell us the members of your subcommittee? I know it's Mr. Butt....
Conservative
Dave MacKenzie Conservative Oxford, ON
We had two subbed members in today from the opposition parties. Mr. Valeriote was here and....
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'm new to the committee, of course, on this study that stems from the NDP motion that was passed by Parliament just before the summer. I understand the Library of Parliament has done some work, and I want to request, Mr. Chair, that it be made available—
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
—to committee members now, if that study is complete.
Thank you.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
Well, if you'd like to move to that study, I'd be happy to distribute the stuff with it.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
Let's hope we can get to that order of business today. There are a number of things based around that study, but I really would like to get that information out to members, too.
Mr. Cullen.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Just about the order—you're probably getting to that—Mr. Christopherson, I believe, had the floor before we adjourned.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
And was saying such nice things about me there was no way he wasn't going to get back.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
And about Mr. Reid.
I'm beginning to suspect Mr. Christopherson a little bit. He's saying a lot of nice things about Conservatives.
Can we, in effect, pause the debate, have the report back from the clerk, and then judge from there as to where...? We were seeking some advice that she was unable to give us as of last week.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
I'll certainly answer that.
The clerk has prepared some notes, and they're available to you—not necessarily a ruling, but some notes on the issue. She has them for you, if you'd like to come and get them.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Our great concern on Tuesday with the government—and I realize we're not into formal meetings here—was that they had proposed changing the way we make laws in Parliament and changing the way independent MPs in particular can move amendments. To facilitate this, we had asked for some sort of supportive advice or evidence as to what the effects would be. We didn't get that; we got into a conversation, as much about the process as the effect of the motion.
Is there a way that we can see the information that's provided through you from the clerk and take a couple of minutes to digest it before we get into the debate? There's a sequencing thing that makes it difficult for MPs who are trying to understand what it is the government intends to do without having yet heard a word of evidence or argumentation from the government as to why this is a good thing and should happen. This is going to be their first opportunity.
Does that make sense for the committee members, that we see what the clerk has offered us?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
Certainly.
We'll distribute them, I guess. They're prepared, so let's do that.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
And can we take a pause for a few minutes to look it over?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
Let's finish off. I see a couple of others.
On this same point of order, Mr. Lamoureux?
Liberal
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
Yes, on the same point of order.
Mr. Chair, I know that our time is of great value. I'm looking in particular for Scott or Tom to give some sort of indication as to whether or not the subject matter that we left is what they would like to continue with. I suspect that is in fact the case, because I don't sense that there was any sort of a compromise. I'm eager to see my amendment ultimately voted on, in anticipation that the government would in fact be supportive of it, but there hasn't really been any dialogue.
If we don't have some sort of a consensus that we're going to move forward, my fear is that we're just going to talk out the hour, or the hour will be gone and we will have achieved nothing in two meetings. I would like to be able to see that there's some fruit coming from the committee dealing with whether we're tabling these.... If Tom or Scott can just indicate right at the get-go if we anticipate moving forward on these in terms of votes today...or would it be better for us to table them and then come back to it next week, so we can actually get some things done today?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
Mr. Lamoureux, I agree with you 100%. The thing is, this is the procedure and House affairs committee and we must follow our procedures.
There's a motion on the floor, amended by you, and that's where we ended, so we may go back to it.
On the same point of order, Mr. Lukiwski.
Conservative
Tom Lukiwski Conservative Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK
Just in response to Kevin's point, where he said if we talk it out there would be a colossal waste of time, I just want to point out to Kevin that I always learn things when David speaks for an hour. I cannot categorize that as a waste of time. I think my colleagues share that.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
On that point of order, I'm not certain we ever really arrived at a point of order, just so you all know—almost. It took a number of parties to help.
Mr. Cullen, you wanted a couple of minutes to read it through, but since then people have been talking on what could have been points of order. Are we prepared to move forward with Mr. Christopherson?
Yes? On that point of order, try it again. Five minutes?
