Evidence of meeting #1 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:55 p.m.
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB
I'm prepared to do that, but it sounds like we need a recess before doing that.
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
I just wanted to add that this is Ms. Blaney's motion. I don't want to speak on behalf of all the members, but my position, at least, would be that we would not be interested in voting in favour of adjourning debate unless that's what she wants to do.
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ruby Sahota
As Mr. Alghabra pointed out, he asked for a quick recess.
Do you think it would be a very short recess, meaning one minute? As you can see, the time is almost one o'clock.
1:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ruby Sahota
There has been a lot of time to discuss. I am hoping that it has brought some clarity.
We'll carry on with the meeting.
1:05 p.m.
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB
Should I move the motion to adjourn the debate?
I'm looking at you because you were the one who—
1:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ruby Sahota
Maybe Ms. Blaney could give us some clarity.
Mr. Richards is giving you some leeway here, as to whether he is going to take the floor back, or....
1:05 p.m.
NDP
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
The clarification I would like is that if this debate is suspended, I want to make sure it will be top and centre in the next meeting of the committee.
1:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ruby Sahota
It is my understanding—and you can correct me if I am wrong, Mr. Clerk—that we would not carry on today with the debate on your motion, but that at the next meeting you would have the opportunity to bring it up.
Just like most things, it would be at the will of the committee whether we would have it back on the agenda for our next meeting. It's not automatic that it would be.
It's suspended temporarily.
1:05 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
Ms. Blaney, as a member of the committee, would be able to put that on the agenda. Is that correct?
1:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ruby Sahota
It is common practice that we would carry on with the motion that is before us, as soon as possible and usually in the very next meeting.
More technically, if we were to get very formal about it, you would have the opportunity to move that your motion be heard and then we would vote on it. If the committee chose to move on to another agenda item, that would be a possibility. I do want to be clear with you on that, Ms. Blaney.
As a practice, it would be something the committee would generally move back to, knowing that we had adjourned with that intention.
1:10 p.m.
NDP
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
May I have one more clarification?
Seeing that the time allotted for the committee has passed, I'm wondering whether, if we do this, it would mean that after this is done we'll be adjourning the meeting and getting back to other committee business, or whether it will be continuing. Could the chair advise me?
1:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ruby Sahota
Adjourning the debate on this issue, even though we have gone past one o'clock, does not mean that the meeting would be over. We could, if the committee wishes, move on to the routine motions and take care of some of those.
Of course, the committee could also move to adjourn the meeting, and then there would actually be a formal vote taken on that.
Mr. Richards.
1:10 p.m.
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB
I have something to add to that, which would be helpful, Chair.
My understanding—and anyone can correct me if I am wrong—is that on the routine motions there has been what should have occurred with this other proposal, a discussion and agreement on the routine motions that are going to be presented. I would assume that, given that, we would all be able to just proceed very quickly and get those done so that committees can move on. We don't have to debate it, because it has already been discussed, much as should have happened with these other proposals.
My understanding is—
1:10 p.m.
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB
—and I hope this helps the other members of the committee, that we should be able to just get it done like that.
1:10 p.m.
NDP
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
I'm comfortable with the suspension, and I will be moving the motion if it isn't put on the agenda at the next meeting.
1:10 p.m.
Conservative
Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB
Sure. I'll again move to adjourn the debate on this issue.
1:10 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
