Evidence of meeting #1 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was charlie.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Andy Fillmore
There have been ex officio members from indigenous communities on the committee.
I think I'd like to put that one into the bucket of committee business. We're going to talk about what that might look like and make sure we get some really good ideas on how to make that happen.
Liberal
Michael McLeod Liberal Northwest Territories, NT
I have a follow-up question to that very point. I would like to know more about it. If I could maybe get some of the rules around that.... As I said before, I don't have a strategy for it, but I think if we're going to be more collaborative and talk about aboriginal people, it's better to have some expertise, some people sitting here advising us, talking with us.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Andy Fillmore
Great. It's an excellent point, Mike. We can ask the clerk to bring us a little information when we meet next around what the sandbox is that we can operate in.
I see your hand, Charlie, but is there somebody else on this?
Okay. Charlie, please.
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
I have just a technical issue on the subcommittee, and I will leave it to my colleagues on the government side to decide what they want to do.
I found with the vast majority of committees I sat on that we were a lot more effective in dealing with committee business as a committee. The idea of a subcommittee, where there are two from the government side—one and one—is always promoted as a more efficient way or that we can get through a lot of stuff. There may be reasons for when you want to do that, but I find that if we just take 15 minutes at the end of a meeting sometimes and we talk committee business.... I don't have a problem if it's all around the table.
I've been on many committees where we've had a very good working relationship by just saying, “Business is coming up, so let's prioritize. You want to study this and we all agree, so let's build a calendar.” We hear from the chair and they come back and we move on. I'm willing to work that way if people are interested.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Andy Fillmore
Well, Charlie, we've already adopted the motion of the smaller subcommittee.
I think what we're really asking now is to get the names set up. There are two spots, two names that need to be named, if I'm reading this correctly. There are two members from the government. The motion is on the table. They are Don and Gary.
Mike, please speak briefly on the motion.
Liberal
Mike Bossio Liberal Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON
Once again, speaking to Charlie's point, this is the indigenous affairs committee. We need to be able to reach consensus amongst ourselves if we're going to try to reach consensus with our indigenous communities as well. We all need to be on the same page and in agreement that we're trying to bring about the greater good for those concerned.
I certainly don't have a problem with starting off as a committee of the whole, seeing how that works, and if we did want to go to subcommittee later on, we could revisit that. That is my view.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Andy Fillmore
Thanks, Mike. I appreciate your flexible thinking on that.
I will be flexible too, but just in the reverse order. I'd like us to start with the subcommittee, and if we find that voices are missing or if there is any friction created there, we could revisit that and go to a committee of the whole at that time, which is, in fact, what we have adopted already.
I'll go back to the names, if I could. We have two names. Is it the committee's pleasure to appoint those two folks to the two open government positions?
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
I think we're ready for our motion for adjournment, unless there are any last thoughts.
Thank you all for your patience and the excellent conversation today.
May I have a motion to adjourn? It's moved by Gary and seconded by Mike.
We're adjourned. Thank you.