Procedure and House Affairs Committee on June 5th, 2018

Evidence of meeting #110 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was political.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Bill C-76

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Taylor Gunn President and Chief Election Officer, CIVIX

Duff Conacher Co-Founder, Democracy Watch

Henry Milner Associate Fellow, Department of Political Science, Université de Montréal, As an Individual

Clerk of the Committee Mr. Andrew Lauzon

Lori Turnbull Associate Professor, Dalhousie University, As an Individual

J. Randall Emery Executive Director, Canadian Citizens Rights Council

1 p.m.

NDP

Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

Could I respond quickly to that, Chair? I know that Ruby will want to get in on it too.

The challenge is.... I didn't want to open up this conversation as we're now into the meeting, and again, apologies to the witnesses, but the challenge is that if we had a subscribed calendar in front of us and we knew that there was this date, this date, and this date on which we were having witnesses, then the motion....

I take Mr. Reid's point, though. I don't want to be unreasonable or aggressive about it. I want to be assertive about it.

1 p.m.

Conservative

Scott Reid Conservative Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON

That's fine.

1 p.m.

NDP

Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

Just so committee members are aware as well, we have been in contact with both of the groups already, so they know we—

1 p.m.

Liberal

David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC

Just as a quick point of order, while we're having this discussion, can we release the witnesses?

1 p.m.

NDP

Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

Of course.

1 p.m.

Liberal

David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC

Thank you.

1 p.m.

Associate Professor, Dalhousie University, As an Individual

Dr. Lori Turnbull

This witness is really enjoying it.

1 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

1 p.m.

NDP

Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

You must leave. I have another motion here that says you must leave.

1 p.m.

Voices

Oh, oh!

1 p.m.

NDP

Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

Thanks, David.

That was my only point on Scott's point. The challenge is that if we say 24 hours, then I don't know how long this committee is sitting and hearing witnesses. I honestly don't. We're trying to talk about it, but we had a motion the government prepared.... Everyone is kind of operating under the assumption that's what's going to happen at this committee, but technically and reasonably, this committee doesn't have that timeline at hand.

If we wait 24 hours, we invite, and they say that they'd be happy to come next week but we don't have hearings next week, then I'm in a bind as a committee member in wanting to hear from these witnesses. There are other committee members who want to hear from them too. That's why there is a certain urgency to it, but again, I don't know what our timeline is here, because none of us do.

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

Mr. Reid.

1:05 p.m.

Conservative

Scott Reid Conservative Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON

I think my point is on the record.

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

Ms. Sahota.

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

Ruby Sahota Liberal Brampton North, ON

According to what Nathan has just proposed, I think I'd like to propose an amendment or an addition to your motion, so that we could have that guidance as to where we're ending and when we're starting our amendments and the clause-by-clause study.

I think what Mr. Reid has said is reasonable. We could have Facebook and Twitter in by Monday, have amendments in for Tuesday, and then start our clause-by-clause study by Wednesday.

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

Mr. Bittle.

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

Chris Bittle Liberal St. Catharines, ON

Also, if I can add to that, I think we agreed at the start—I don't know if there was a motion, but we did put it on the table, and I think it was fair—that the minister also come on—

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

Ruby Sahota Liberal Brampton North, ON

That's before our clause-by-clause study, right?

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

Chris Bittle Liberal St. Catharines, ON

Yes, that's before our clause-by-clause consideration. If the amendments are due on Tuesday and we're starting clause-by-clause next week, we would have, since we're running out of witnesses in any event—

1:05 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

Chris Bittle Liberal St. Catharines, ON

—Twitter and Facebook.

They've all been invited. We have empty slots. We could do social media and the minister on Monday, and then proceed as Ruby suggested.

1:05 p.m.

NDP

Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

Just to clarify what the amendment is, y our suggestion is that Facebook and Twitter—plus the minister, according to Chris—would appear with other witnesses at Monday's meetings, which we haven't set yet, but could—

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

Ruby Sahota Liberal Brampton North, ON

Yes.

1:05 p.m.

NDP

Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

—and go with clause-by-clause by Tuesday.

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

Ruby Sahota Liberal Brampton North, ON

No—