Evidence of meeting #1 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
Is there debate?
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
The next motion is on the subcommittee on agenda and procedure.
Mr. Clerk, are you okay?
9:20 a.m.
The Clerk
I'm just signalling the researchers to come to the table.
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
Oh, yes, we need help. We need lots of help.
On the subcommittee item, Mr. Dykstra.
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would move a small amendment. Actually, it's not a small amendment; it would replace the motion, as follows: that the subcommittee on agenda and procedure be established and be composed of one member of each party, and that the chair of the committee sit as ex officio to chair the subcommittee meetings.
9:20 a.m.
Bloc
Thierry St-Cyr Bloc Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
In other committees, the subcommittee is normally made up of four members. If I understand this proposal correctly, there would be five members.
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
No. Actually, Thierry, it would be four members of the committee, but the chair could preside and chair the meeting. He would not actually have a vote on the committee. He would simply chair the meeting. That way, it would give him an understanding of what is happening at subcommittee, so that when we come to full committee, he knows.
9:20 a.m.
Bloc
Thierry St-Cyr Bloc Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
I just want to have a few more minutes for discussion and thought. During the discussions we had previously, it was not clear to me that the proposal would be like that.
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
Thank you, Chair, for allowing that quick break. I think we've come to a consensus or a compromise on the issue, and it is that the motion would be as reflected in the routine motion: that the subcommittee on agenda and procedure be established, to be composed of the chair, the two vice-chairs, and a member of the other opposition party. I would simply add the parliamentary secretary for citizenship and immigration to the committee.
9:25 a.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
I just want to clarify that it's the parliamentary secretary for citizenship and immigration, because you have two parliamentary secretaries on that side right now. There should only be one. Is that clear?
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
February 3rd, 2009 / 9:25 a.m.
Conservative
Alice Wong Conservative Richmond, BC
Can one substitute for the other when the other is not available? Because we both look at the same files; I mean procedurally.
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
I don't know. I'm just the chair. You have to work all of this out yourselves.
9:25 a.m.
Liberal
Maurizio Bevilacqua Liberal Vaughan, ON
Mr. Chairman, I think we have to facilitate it. I mean, we have to make it efficient and effective. As for replacements, if I can't make it or if you can't make it, we have to get on with the business of the committee. We can't really be too concerned about who's sitting there at any given time.
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
Okay. Is there any further debate? Did I see another hand up over here? No.
Monsieur St-Cyr.
9:25 a.m.
Bloc
Thierry St-Cyr Bloc Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
Under the Standing Orders, the parliamentary secretary can come to the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure meetings and participate in them without officially being on the list. In fact, everyone can attend.
I do not see that it is absolutely necessary to add this amendment. We could have left the motion as it was originally and still all understood that the parliamentary secretary, with his contacts with the minister, could give the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure guidance on the government's intentions.
9:30 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
The clerk has made a suggestion to the chair, which we'll leave to the committee. He has a copy of other routine motions that this committee has used in the past. Before we vote on this—I know, you're shaking your heads, you've seen this—would members like to see this?
No one is saying anything, so we'll just move on.
Is there any further debate on this? Is there an amendment? Have we agreed that there's an amendment? As a result of your comments, is there an amendment on the floor?
There's no amendment to this.
Mr. Karygiannis.
9:30 a.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
I take it, Chair, then, that we are adopting again the procedural routine motions that this committee has had in the past.