Evidence of meeting #28 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 39th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was million.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Colin Mayes
I'm just going to summarize here, Mr. Bruinooge. The consensus of the committee is that we want to prioritize Bill C-34. Is that correct?
Then we will instruct the clerk that it will be our priority. When it arrives, we'll give it our priority. Second to that will be the witnesses we have approved in the motion by Madam Crowder.
Getting back to the dates prior to the break for Christmas—
Conservative
Rod Bruinooge Conservative Winnipeg South, MB
Mr. Chair, if you don't mind, can I comment for a second?
Madam Crowder, what are your thoughts on perhaps the expedited process that Madam Neville talked about?
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
On Bill C-34, I don't have a problem with it. The only concern is that I just don't know procedurally if we can get it to the committee by the seventh.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Colin Mayes
No, we're not saying by the seventh. We're saying, when we get back—
Conservative
Rod Bruinooge Conservative Winnipeg South, MB
The House leaders could accomplish that task, if we all went to them and asked.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
I'm just not sure, because I think for first and second reading...there has to be time in between that and third reading, doesn't there? I don't think we can do first, second, and third all at the same time, can we?
Conservative
Conservative
Rod Bruinooge Conservative Winnipeg South, MB
If we as parliamentarians went to our House leaders and requested unanimous consent, we could perhaps achieve the timeline that Madam Neville suggested.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Colin Mayes
Let's go back into our priorities a little bit. We look at Bill C-34 as a priority, but Mr. Lemay discussed the draft report on post-secondary education; that's unfinished business of this committee. I would recommend that the committee deal with it and get it finished. The question Mr. Lemay brought forward was whether it is possible to deal with the draft report on post-secondary education on December 7. The parliamentary researcher, Madam Hurley, has said she could have it on the morning of...the Thursday, was it?
Analyst, Law and Government Division, Library of Parliament
My understanding is that the production team was going to ensure that the committee had it in its hands by the end of our meeting on Thursday, December 7, with a view to allowing committee members time to study the report in order to discuss it on December 12. At the moment, that is the planning we've done. I suppose we'd have to find out whether we could get it into the committee members' hands early on December 7.
Liberal
Anita Neville Liberal Winnipeg South Centre, MB
Depending on Ms. Hurley's schedule, if we can do that, it would be very positive, and we could deal with it on December 7. What I want to say is that I'm more than willing to deal with Bill C-34, but I do not want it to pre-empt Bill C-292. As long as we have the opportunity to deal with that—
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Colin Mayes
That's part of our unfinished business.
Then, getting back to Bill C-292, Madam Neville said she thought it might only take an hour of the meeting. The question is, what is the consensus of the committee? Do you want the two hours?
I'll get back to what I started with. The third item I wanted the committee to deal with was Pikangikum and the response to the letter. Are we going to listen to what Mr. Roger Valley has to say about the situation there? What is the pleasure of the committee? Do you want to try to invite Mr. Valley for the Tuesday, December 5, meeting?
Madam Crowder.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
If the committee could agree to deal with Bill C-292 in an hour, I think we should ask Mr. Valley on December 5, simply because the situation in Pikangikum is in crisis. I would be reluctant to have it dealt with at the end of January.
Conservative
Liberal
Anita Neville Liberal Winnipeg South Centre, MB
I don't have a problem with this, Mr. Chair. I've spoken to Roger Valley several times on Pikangikum. Pikangikum is very difficult. There are others that are equally difficult, if not worse. My question to you is, although we can get information from Mr. Valley, what can we do?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Colin Mayes
Madam Neville, that's all I'm looking for. If this committee wants to write a letter back to the minister to say we've talked to Mr. Valley and our recommendation is that we don't go, for some reason, or that we do go, or whatever the decision will be, we need to base that decision on something. I think information from Mr. Valley will give us valid information to be able to respond to the letter.
Is that the consensus of the committee, then?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Colin Mayes
This is on December 5. Let's deal with December 5 first. If there's consensus, we'll invite Mr. Valley to the meeting on December 5.
Bloc
Marc Lemay Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Yes. The agenda is 9 to 10, Bill C-292, and 10 to 11, Monsieur Valley.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Colin Mayes
Okay, that's good.
Then we will work with what happens in the House as far as December 7 is concerned. Okay?
Is there anything else for the good of the aboriginal affairs committee?
The meeting is adjourned.