Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on Feb. 16th, 2012

[Greg Rickford, Conservative, Kenora, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Certainly the person tabling the motion has long experience here in Parliament. I'm sure she would understand what I am about to say.

One of the reasons this date is particularly important to us is that it is fundamentally difficult, if not impossible, for the government to proceed with questions with the same latitude as you would have, given that the matter is at or is going before the courts. We want the same kinds of opportunities to ask substantive questions about this exercise.

So whether it's in person or by Skype, we are not in a position until this has occurred, nor would it be appropriate to proceed with most lines of questioning that I think would be useful for the purposes of this committee, as a general matter or as a matter related to the study.

I would hope, as interest in this matter and in the affairs of this committee in Parliament grows, that the official opposition would understand that difficulty. The appropriate thing would be to defer it until such time. If she is not willing to, then we will have to proceed on a vote, as it stands now.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Ms. Bennett.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

Mr. Chair, I think it's really important for this committee to understand that the members opposite are not members of the government. They happen to sit on the government side. They are members of Parliament. The parliamentary secretary—I don't know what he sees his status as—would be perfectly capable of withdrawing or recusing himself at a hearing such as this if he felt he was being asked to speak on behalf of the government.

All members of Parliament are entitled to do this work. No one there is speaking on behalf of the government. The difference between government and Parliament is being seriously lost in this Parliament. All of us are elected to do our job to hold government to account. There are no members on the government side, other than the ministers, who when they speak are speaking for the government.

This is not an excuse for us to find out what is going on and whether those homes are arriving. The date on there is because the ice road will melt and there is an urgency to this, which was the reason we asked for an emergency meeting on housing in the fall.

This is serious. If in the travels of the committee there would be assurance that we could visit the community as part of our study, then I would obviously feel that would work, if it were timely.

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Colleagues, I really want to get to the committee business. There are some time-sensitive issues that I want to resolve before we have the constituency week. Our analysts and our clerk would like that time to prepare.

We need your go-ahead. I'm wondering if we could go to a vote.

Ms. Duncan has a point of order.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

My understanding is that as a committee we extend invitations to people before us; we're not commanding them to appear.

This would be is an invitation to all those parties. Any one of them could turn down that invitation.

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Committees do all kinds of stuff, and they can eventually demand.... But you're right, it's an invitation.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

So far, it's an invitation.

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Yes, you're right. That is correct. I'm not sure it's a point of order, but it's a point of clarification on what you've received.

Committee members, Let's go to the vote.

(Motion negatived)

Committee members, I'd like to now suspend quickly and then go in camera for a discussion with regard to committee business.

[Proceedings continue in camera]