Procedure and House Affairs Committee on April 29th, 2014

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

This is on the opinion piece, then.

[Craig Scott, NDP, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

It's for all of them. It will cover all three. If it's more than 30 days extra, he can't do it. It's capped at 30 days unless the applicant gives consent.

If the Conservative Party has asked him for an opinion and he says that it's going to take ages and he needs to get some information together, and he knows it's going to be more than 30 days, he goes to them and says, “Will you consent to it being 40 days?” If they say no, he has no choice.

All right?

[André Bellavance, Bloc, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Chair, I want to let you know that we just received a document only in English. I assume this committee's rules are the same as across Parliament. The member's amendment has been distributed to us only in English. I don't think a document can be distributed in only one official language. I'm not protesting against you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

If it's an amendment done on the fly, it can be done in one language, the language of the person making the amendment.

[André Bellavance, Bloc, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

It's because the document was submitted. So I am protesting, but I understand that you are accepting this.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

As a courtesy, Mr. Scott provided copies to try to make us move a little quicker. It's a courtesy. He does not have to do so, and he can do it verbally. He has to write it out if he wants...if it's a change to another amendment, but when it's an amendment.... I mean, that's how it goes when you're doing these things on the fly.

[Craig Scott, NDP, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Just so we're clear, just so you know, I could be reading it without circulating it, but I did circulate it to make it easier.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

He circulated it to help us move along. I recognize that it may not be perfect.

[André Bellavance, Bloc, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Chair, I will be brief.

I understand perfectly well what is happening, as I have been in Parliament for 10 years. I understand what Scott is doing, but they made an effort to print the document and to prepare it. So it should have been drafted in both official languages.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

He could have done so. Okay.

[Craig Scott, NDP, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Yes, I wrote it a few minutes ago.

It's now in front of people but I will read it: The Chief Electoral Officer shall inform the applicant of and indicate on her or his Internet site the date on which she or he has all the information necessary to write an opinion or to issue a guideline or interpretation note—so it covers all of these three beasts—and it shall be that date on which the time periods in sections 16.1(6) and 16.2(4) begin to run.

After the amendment of Mr. Lukiwski those are 60-day periods.

This continues, in subsection (2): In no case may publication under 16.1(6) or s.16.2(4) occur more than 30 days longer than those 60 days stipulated in those sections, unless the Chief Electoral Officer requests and receives the written consent of the applicant for a specified extension.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Of the applicant?

[Craig Scott, NDP, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Yes, of the applicant.

It's an attempt to give a little wiggle room to the Chief Electoral Officer. That would be capped at 30 days. Consent would be required for it to be longer. I think we should be able to trust an officer of Parliament to not be doing this regularly, but only when he really needs that time to gather the information on complex applications.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

On NDP-7.2, is there any further discussion?

Seeing none, we will vote on it.

[An hon. member]

A recorded vote.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

(Amendment negatived: nays 5; yeas 4 [See Minutes of Proceedings])

We're on NDP-7.3.

Mr. Scott.

[Craig Scott, NDP, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

That's later.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

That's later? It's not here. It's prepared for us, so are we on to G-3 or 7.4? G-3 is on clause 5. I should do these clauses as we go, before we forget. They're just not there when we print. Clause 5, all those in favour?

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

Just a minute, where are we now? Did you say we're on G-3?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

This is a new clause. It'll be clause 5.1, a different clause. All right, I'm there.

We're on clause 5, as we have amended it.

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

Sorry, Chair, I was engaged in another side conversation. Clause 5?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

I don't believe we did amend it though, did we?

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

I don't recall any amendment. I'm not sure what we're discussing. Are we talking about G-3, G-2?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

We'll check. That was in a previous clause, I think.

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

Thank you.