Evidence of meeting #4 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 things.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Andre Barnes  Committee Researcher

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

Okay, we have agreed on two things so far. We've agreed on what we're going to do at the next meeting, which is now, as you outlined it, before the steering committee. The second thing we agreed on was that our analyst is going to bring us back some international research.

Now, since we're not having a subcommittee meeting until after Tuesday's meeting, we have to decide what we are going to do in the Thursday meeting spot.

12:55 p.m.

NDP

David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON

Do you mean next Thursday?

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

Yes. We have some suggestions about spouses or about parliamentarians from other parties.

12:55 p.m.

NDP

David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON

There's always my motion.

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

There's your motion.

12:55 p.m.

NDP

David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON

If you're looking for really good work to do, there it is.

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

It's up to the committee.

12:55 p.m.

NDP

David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON

It would be best if we could finish it before the steering committee. It's not absolutely necessary, but it would be helpful to have it nailed down ahead of time.

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

We could split the meeting and have your motion for an hour and the steering committee for the second hour next Thursday.

12:55 p.m.

NDP

David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON

We could do that.

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

Yes.

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC

And we could stop even if it's not resolved.

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

Maybe we should do it the other way around. Have the steering committee first in case your debate takes two hours.

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

Arnold Chan Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON

It's subject to the availability of the clerks of the other Houses, so we may have to have some flexibility on that point.

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

Obviously.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB

My understanding was that we were thinking of doing the steering committee a little later than next week.

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

Do you mean so there would be feedback?

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB

I might make an alternate suggestion. Our analyst has indicated that he might have some stuff he can go back and look at with regard to other legislatures, parliaments in other countries that are doing stuff. Through some of the discussion here there's been talk about former parliamentarians, etc.

If we're going to look at the motion with those things, maybe we could have kind of a committee business session on Tuesday to allow for some of those things. Maybe we could use some of that time as well to have our analyst give us some feedback on what we might be able to do. That gives you a bit more time to schedule a witness for Thursday. There might be a suggestion to have a couple of different panels, although I think maybe the clerks might take up a full two-hour session. That would give us a little bit more time, until after the break, to talk to our caucuses before we have that steering committee.

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

I had forgotten we were going to give you more time to go to caucuses, so on Thursday we could do a bit of your report.

12:55 p.m.

Committee Researcher

Andre Barnes

To get the research done and translated, I'd have to do it today, so it would be a very scant report. A preferable deadline for it would be next Thursday, if the committee can accept that.

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

That's what we're talking about. Sure.

12:55 p.m.

Committee Researcher

Andre Barnes

Okay, that's Thursday as opposed to next Tuesday.

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

Next Tuesday we're going to do the three clerks for two hours. Next Thursday we can do your report for an hour and then we'll have Mr. Christopherson's motion, which we can debate right through the break week if we can stay.

1 p.m.

NDP

David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON

We'll shuttle in.

1 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

Is that it? Does that sound good to everyone?

The directions to the caucuses are that whoever is on the steering committee from each caucus should come back with, if they can, some preferences or priorities or input on this family-friendly agenda from either your House leader, or your whip, or your entire caucus, or however you work internally.