Procedure and House Affairs Committee on Feb. 4th, 2016

Evidence of meeting #6 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 process.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Initiatives toward a family-friendly House of Commons

Order in Council Appointment of Huguette Labelle to the Position of Chair of the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments

Members speaking

Larry Bagnell

Ginette Petitpas Taylor

Before the committee

Huguette Labelle Chair, Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

Ruby Sahota Liberal Brampton North, ON

I'm sorry, but comments on what? I missed the last sentence.

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

The time is up. Does the committee agree to extend the time? We're past one o'clock now.

1 p.m.

Liberal

Ruby Sahota Liberal Brampton North, ON

For how long?

1 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

How long do you suggest, Mr. Christopherson?

1 p.m.

NDP

David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON

I only need five or six minutes. I really don't have a lot. It's just a couple of things that I want to get on the record on the motion, and that's it. I don't know about anybody else. Otherwise, we don't pass motions. It's that simple.

1 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

Mr. Graham.

1 p.m.

Liberal

David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC

I'd like to amend it so that the end of the motion concludes with “subject to the availability of the minister”.

1 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

You're amending the motion. We have to vote on the time first, though. We're past the time.

1 p.m.

NDP

David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON

How about an end time? Availability could be “never”.

1 p.m.

A voice

Make it 1:15.

1 p.m.

NDP

David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON

No, I mean the availability of the minister.

We're talking about the motion, right?

1 p.m.

Liberal

David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC

I'm talking about the motion. We've already agreed to extend, haven't we?

1 p.m.

NDP

David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON

Yes.

1 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell

You are proposing that the committee extend to 1:15?

1 p.m.

A voice

Yes.

1 p.m.

An hon. member

We could do it in blocks of a few minutes.

1 p.m.

Liberal

Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB

Why are you extending it, David?

1 p.m.

NDP

David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON

Because you, the government, seem to want to get these motions passed today. We in the opposition are not looking to delay that, but it's partly because you took the floor for so long that there's not enough time to get the comments in before one o'clock.

All I'm asking for individually is about four to six minutes, or five minutes, to get my piece on the record, and then I'm ready to vote, but we can't do that if we don't get an extension. I can't speak for my colleagues, but that's where I am. They've already indicated that they are looking to see this come to a vote.

It's up to you. If you want the motion, you have to give us another 15 or 20 minutes. If you don't care, let's adjourn.

1 p.m.

Liberal

Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB

Go ahead and start speaking, then.

Mr. Chair, I suspect.... I don't want to speak on behalf of the committee.

1 p.m.

NDP

David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON

Ha. Why not? You speak on behalf of that half.

1 p.m.

Liberal