Two hours.
Evidence of meeting #1 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs 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.
Evidence of meeting #1 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs 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.
9:50 a.m.
An hon. member
Two hours.
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
John Duncan Conservative Vancouver Island North, BC
My suggestion is that we schedule a meeting for Thursday and invite the minister and his officials.
9:55 a.m.
Bloc
Marc Lemay Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Mr. Chair, the matter of the parliamentary secretary needs to be clarified. When the minister receives an invitation, he knows that our meetings last two hours. When he arrives here and stays for only one hour, that leads to some mild frustration among opposition and government members, and that frustration can quickly build to a crisis. The minister speaks for 20 minutes, or, at the very least, for 10 or 15 minutes. We barely have time for one round of questions and then the minister has to leave. Everyone is frustrated when that happens.
If the minister is invited here, he needs to know that our meetings last two hours and he needs to commit to two hours.That way, everyone has an opportunity to ask him questions. The same holds true for the deputy minister. They know the schedule when they receive an invitation from us.
I disagree with the minister spending only one hour with the committee. Frankly, I would prefer that he not come in that case, because we won't have time to put questions to him and everyone will be upset with him.
So then, could you let the minister know that when he accepts our invitation, he is committing himself to spending two hours with us?
9:55 a.m.
Liberal
9:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
The suggestion has been put that we invite Minister Strahl before the committee on Thursday morning for the consideration of the supplementary estimates, and that we proceed on that basis. The committee has requested the full two-hour meeting, which is the norm.
We hope the minister will give us that audience, and I'm sure there will be many good questions on the supplementary estimates that committee members may put.
Mr. Duncan.
9:55 a.m.
Conservative
John Duncan Conservative Vancouver Island North, BC
I heard Mr. Lemay very clearly. However, I want to let you know that I sat on this committee for many years when I was in opposition, and I know how many times we tried to get a minister and couldn't get a minister. They found a way to avoid coming to committee. So I actually think it is quite enlightened that we are in a position where the minister has gone out of his way to offer to come before committee to meet our timeframe.
9:55 a.m.
Bloc
Marc Lemay Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
The minister may only be here for an hour, but he will have to understand that committee members will be extremely frustrated. This is especially true in the case of the current minister, Mr. Strahl. I know that he likes to appear before the committee and I know you'll mention to him that we would like to keep him here for two hours, since we do have a number of questions for him. Of all the ministers, he is the one who has done his homework best so far. In fact, he has just tabled two bills and he will certainly need to explain them to us. So then, let's invite him initially to answer questions about the estimates, and then invite him back for one and a half, or two, hours to talk about bills C-5 and C-8.
Admittedly, ministers have not spent a lot of time testifying before the committee since 2004, but Mr. Strahlhas gotten into the good habit of regularly spending up to two hours with us, and I'd like to see that continue.
9:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
Is there any other discussion?
We will make the invitation and express understanding that ministers' schedules are sometimes difficult. We appreciate the offer of the minister to come, and hope that he can stay as long as he is able in that first meeting on Thursday.
We had a question over here. Mr. Clarke.
9:55 a.m.
Conservative
9:55 a.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
On a matter of procedure, could we ask our clerk, for those of us who are new here, to make sure we have the names and coordinates of the parliamentary staff--his own, and perhaps everyone else's, all the members'--so that we can easily communicate with each other?
10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
That's a good idea.
I think that's all.
For the subcommittee, we will endeavour to get a meeting before next Tuesday's meeting. Perhaps if you can hang back just for a minute before we get underway, we'll consider when that might be possible and consider our work plan.
If that's it, the meeting's adjourned. Thank you.
