Human Resources Committee on Jan. 30th, 2007

[Yves Lessard, Bloc, Chambly—Borduas, QC]

If I understand correctly, those are the video fees. These are not the witnesses' travel expenses. The people who came before the holidays and those who came today did not claim any travel expenses. This only covers the technical part.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

There were no fees before, because all the witnesses were from Ottawa, and these other witnesses are from out of town.

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Then how did the B.C. witnesses get here? Under what budget did they come? Was it previously approved?

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

It was out of their own budget.

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Out of whose budget?

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Their own budget; they paid their own way to be here.

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

They all paid their own way?

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

They felt pretty strongly.

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

What kind of process is that? That's very unusual.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Once again, these are all witnesses who asked to be here.

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

That is highly unusual. Were they told that they could be reimbursed? I've never heard of that, where witnesses come and pay for themselves in advance of a budget being approved.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

They were instructed by the clerk that if they were not prepared to do it by video conference, then they would have to pay their own way.

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Well, my motion is that the calendar go to the steering committee—

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

We have another motion on the table right now, for the budget.

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

I said the budget and the steering committee. My original motion was that the budget and the steering committee...that the calendar and the budget be referred to the steering committee. That's what I moved about five minutes ago.

I would be prepared to say that a budget be approved for the witnesses who are necessary to come until the steering committee has concluded a further budget, so that you have something to cover you, but that the steering committee meet as soon as possible.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

We have witnesses coming tomorrow for whom we need to approve the budget. Once again, this calendar—

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

I would be prepared to say that until the steering committee has approved whatever further budget, we approve now enough money for witnesses to come until the steering committee has concluded its business. That covers you, but the calendar and the rest of the budget can go to the steering committee to be sorted out.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

We have a calendar before us that we're prepared to discuss tomorrow. We have witnesses showing up tomorrow whom we've already confirmed. My suggestion is, once again, that we approve the budget and also look at the.... Are you going to tell the witnesses they can't come? We're talking about....

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Did the witnesses who are coming tomorrow also pay their own way?

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

That is correct, with the exception of one video conference, which is why we need approval of the budget.

Ms. Dhalla.

[Ruby Dhalla, Liberal, Brampton—Springdale, ON]

I will be supporting Ms. Davies' motion, because I do think the budget and the calendar should be looked at by the steering committee instead of taking up the valuable time of other parliamentarians. It is obviously a huge discussion that precedes all of the newer members.

Secondly, I think the steering committee also needs to take a look at the fact that these witnesses are paying their own way, because I do not think it's right to exclude other witnesses who may not have the financial resources to appear before the committee.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

It's always made available by video conference, so we would never exclude them.

[Ruby Dhalla, Liberal, Brampton—Springdale, ON]

Okay, but I would support Ms. Davies' motion on having this discussed at the steering committee.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

I would just say once again that the steering committee has come back to discuss a schedule. You have a calendar in front of you. My suggestion is that we look at hearing the witnesses over the next two weeks. We can still discuss the schedule tomorrow. Everything from the steering committee has to come back to the main committee anyway.

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

I'm going to split my motion, because I think there might be some difference of opinion.

I do think the calendar, rather than being discussed by the whole committee tomorrow, should actually go to the steering committee. I'd like to move that the calendar go to the steering committee and that the steering committee meet as soon as possible. I will withdraw—