Thank you.
Before I go to Mr. Genuis, who had his hand up, there is a committee starting here at 11 o'clock. We are running out of time. It does not appear that this is going to get resolved at this meeting.
Keep it brief, Mr. Genuis.
Evidence of meeting #25 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was students.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Thank you.
Before I go to Mr. Genuis, who had his hand up, there is a committee starting here at 11 o'clock. We are running out of time. It does not appear that this is going to get resolved at this meeting.
Keep it brief, Mr. Genuis.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Chair, I'll try to get through a couple of things quickly.
I think Ms. Desrochers's point is that, while the rules permit motions to be tabled without notice under certain circumstances, it is a good practice to inform colleagues when possible. I very much agree with that. Objectively, that is how I have carried myself in this committee, informing colleagues of intent to put forward motions. I put a motion on notice today, for example, which I was entitled to move and did not move. Colleagues will have an opportunity to think about that.
I will say that there have been instances where Liberals have moved motions without notice, as have Bloc members. If the point Ms. Desrochers is making is to endeavour to have a practice where we discuss and provide notice in advance even when not, strictly speaking, required, I agree that that's a good practice. I will say, with respect to this motion of Ms. Desrochers's, that it's a request for information on an existing study, which is typically a minor thing, but the Liberals have said that they support it, so good. The only suggestion I would have is—
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Okay.
I don't think we're going to get it done. I'll propose this amendment, so that people have it and then we can come back to it. The amendment can be distributed by the clerk.
The second paragraph reads that “pursuant to Standing Order 108(1)(a)”, the committee “order” the Department of Employment and Families “to provide”. It continues from there.
The point is that a request for information is not binding, but committees do have powers to order the production of this information. I imagine that may have been the intent behind this.
Conservative
Liberal
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Maybe we can get to an agreement, but it's on the table.
Liberal
Caroline Desrochers Liberal Trois-Rivières, QC
I'm sorry. I did not...on the amendment. I just wanted to get back to Ms. Larouche's motion.
Conservative
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
The effect of the motion would be to “order” the information instead of “request” the information.
Liberal
Caroline Desrochers Liberal Trois-Rivières, QC
Let's just move to approve this motion and then move on.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Just so we're clear, I'm seeing that there is consensus on the motion of Madame Larouche as amended by Mr. Genuis. Mr. Genuis has read into the record the clear verbiage.
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Okay.
I want a vote on the motion of Madame Larouche as amended by Mr. Genuis. The record will clearly show the amendment that Mr. Genuis verbalized to the committee.
Again, this is the motion of Madame Larouche as amended by Mr. Genuis, who verbalized the amendment for clarification.
We'll have a recorded vote please, Clerk.
(Amendment agreed to: yeas 8; nays 0)
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
There. It's good; we got consensus.
We're running out of time, so the motion of Madame Larouche as amended by Mr. Genuis was adopted by the committee.
(Motion as amended agreed to)
Quickly....
Liberal
Caroline Desrochers Liberal Trois-Rivières, QC
I'd like to resume debate on the motion we put forward on a national school food program.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Okay, but I'm going to have to call for the adjournment of the committee. We are now over time.