Human Resources Committee on Jan. 31st, 2007

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

We have to vote on this. This is not debatable. We'll have the vote and then we'll move on to Mr. Lake's motion. Unless there's unanimous consent to take the challenge off the table—

Okay.

To my knowledge, we're taking the challenge off the table. Then we're going to go back to vote on the motion—?

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

Let's proceed with the vote on the motion's admissibility, Mr. Chair; in that way, matters will be clear. Based on the information I've received, from the moment a number is changed or added, the motion is no longer admissible. The unanimous consent of the committee is required in order to admit such a motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

This is a vote on whether the decision of the chair stands, which is to leave the motion the way it is.

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

To clarify matters, we're going to vote on admissibility and then on the motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Let me just repeat it one more time.

I made a decision that the motion is in order. This vote is on whether you're going to overrule the chair and the decision I made to say that the motion is in order.

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

I don't agree with the Chair's ruling.

[Christine Lafrance]

The motion is that the Chair's ruling be sustained.

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

(Motion agreed to: yeas 6; nays 3)

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

So the motion stands and is now on the table. If there's no more debate, I'll call the vote.

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

I request a recorded vote, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Okay.

Now we're voting on the motion as proposed by—

Comments, Mr. Silva.

[Mario Silva, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

I base my decision on your wise interpretation from the clerk. I believe that the clerk, more than somebody else's whip, is probably right on these rulings.

I would say, on the motion that was put forward by Mr. Lake, that it is probably premature, and it's one of the reasons I will not be supporting it. Our designated vice-chair, Ruby Dhalla, will be going to the steering committee. The hearings from that steering committee, if it's in the day.... Since all of us are new, and presently it is the procedure of this committee to have a steering committee, I would like to hear from her, after a meeting or two, on whether it is useful or not. Then in the future I'll make my decision on how I'd like to vote on whether there should be one or not.

I will reiterate that in the past there's not been a steering committee that I've been part of, or for the committees that I've been a part of, and it's worked extremely well. But right now that's the practice of this committee, and I don't wish to change it by having a steering committee. I'll wait to hear what my colleague has to say, after attending those meetings, about whether it's useful or not.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Mr. Lake.

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

I move that adjourn debate on this.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

The motion before us is that the debate be adjourned.

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Meeting adjourned.