Okay, proceed.
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.
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
Harold Albrecht Conservative Kitchener—Conestoga, ON
I propose, under the subcommittee on agenda and procedure, that we add to this list at least one government member, preferably the parliamentary secretary, who would have an inside knowledge of the government agenda.
Also, under reduced quorum, if a reduced quorum is allowed to have hearings and at least one opposition member needs to be present, then it would stand to reason that at least one government member should also be present. I think it's only reasonable.
I would move those two amendments.
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
Okay.
To go back to your first amendment, with regard to the subcommittee on agenda procedure, what would it add, Mr. Albrecht?
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
Harold Albrecht Conservative Kitchener—Conestoga, ON
It would add a member of the governing party, preferably parliamentary secretary.
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
And you would propose to add that where? At the end of the clause?
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
You propose to add a government member; that's the proposal.
Any discussion?
Mr. Bagnell.
9:25 a.m.
Liberal
Larry Bagnell Liberal Yukon, YT
I have no problem with that as long as the member is non-voting. We've had it in the past that the parliamentary secretary has come because they've had valuable information to add. As long as they're a non-voting member, I don't have a problem with that.
9:25 a.m.
An hon. member
Agreed.
9:25 a.m.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
Thanks, Mr. Chair.
In the past, we've done on that subcommittee exactly as Mr. Bagnell has pointed out. The committee has been the four members as designated, and then the parliamentary secretary has often sat in to provide advice, but as a non-voting member.
I would support Mr. Bagnell's comment around the parliamentary secretary being a non-voting member.
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
John Duncan Conservative Vancouver Island North, BC
Just for clarification, is the chair a voting member?
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
Harold Albrecht Conservative Kitchener—Conestoga, ON
I just want to say, Mr. Chair, that generally speaking we expect our chairs to chair in a non-partisan and neutral way. It would seem to me that it would be wise to have the chair, even at the subcommittee level, continue to serve in that capacity and have the person who's representing the government to be the full voting member as opposed to the chair being the full voting member.
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
So the way it has been proposed here, if I could just summarize the proposal, now with a subamendment by members present here, is that an additional government member is okay, but they would be a non-voting government member.
9:25 a.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
It's not what's proposed, Mr. Chair. What I gather this proposes is that the subcommittee also include the parliamentary secretary in a non-voting capacity.
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
Plus. So we would then basically have the chair, the two vice-chairs, a member from the other party, which would be the Bloc, an additional government member proposed from here, and the parliamentary secretary in a non-voting capacity.
9:25 a.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
No. It would be as it is here, plus the parliamentary secretary in a non-voting capacity.
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
That's it. Okay.
Is there agreement on this amended clause?
Mr. Duncan.
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
John Duncan Conservative Vancouver Island North, BC
The way it reads, then, is that there's one vote out of four for the government. That's the way it sits, based on the way the discussion has gone from the opposite side.
I think it's pretty unbalanced....
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
John Duncan Conservative Vancouver Island North, BC
Either way, even if the government had two votes, it would still be outnumbered by the opposition, which is appropriate but more in keeping with the standings in the House.