Evidence of meeting #39 for Industry, Science and Technology in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was forward.
A recording is available from Parliament.
The Clerk of the Committee Mr. James M. Latimer
Monsieur Crête moves—and I have it in French—that:
That the Committee invite the Minister to explain as soon as possible his decision to disregard the motion adopted by the Committee on October 24, 2006; that the Committee conduct an in-depth study of the issue of deregulating telecommunications; and that the Committee report back to the House.
Conservative
The Clerk
It is moved that the committee invite the minister as soon as possible to explain his decision to ignore the motion agreed to by the committee on October 24, 2006; that the committee conduct a comprehensive study on the deregulation of telecommunications; and that the committee report to the House.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
Yes.
We have Monsieur Crête, and perhaps I can pose a couple of questions for Monsieur Crête.
My understanding is that we will then be looking at eight meetings in February under this motion and we'll report back to the House by March 1. He would also want the minister to appear at the first meeting. Perhaps he can clarify this in his remarks.
Could you just clarify those two things for us?
Bloc
Paul Crête Bloc Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
I'd like the Minister to appear as soon as possible to explain his first decision. However, parliamentary practice dictates that we cannot compel him to appear. That's why I said “as soon as possible”. I'd also like the committee to carry out all of the studies so that it can report back to the House as soon as possible on the deregulation issue. The one exception is a scheduled meeting next Wednesday to discuss the manufacturing sector. We could begin our study the following week. It's a mere detail.
As tradition here dictates, each party could submit a list of suggested witnesses, with the first witness being someone who can give us an overview of deregulation.
The motion has been read and debated. I'm ready to vote and I'd like to call the question.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
Okay. I'm advised that the motion is in order and that it is debatable and amendable. I have Mr. Carrie on the speakers' list.
Bloc
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
The debate is on the motion. The motion itself is debatable and amendable.
Bloc
Paul Crête Bloc Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
I understand, but when someone calls for the vote, doesn't this mean we have to proceed?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
You cannot move the previous question in committee. You've moved the motion, so you cannot move that a question be put.
Bloc
Bloc
Paul Crête Bloc Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
I thought that we had been doing just that for the past hour or so. I read the text of the motion that I was moving. It's just that the clerk didn't read the text of the motion out loud, but the motion was officially moved. We've been debating the matter for one hour now.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
We have been debating this for an hour. The issue we were debating, though, was the issue you wrote me about in your letter of January 5, 2007. I did not have the motion read.
Bloc
Paul Crête Bloc Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
Read the “blues“, Mr. Chairman. I clearly indicated that I was moving a motion. I read the text of the motion and then I presented a copy of it to the clerk. I distinctly said that I was moving a motion.
That being the case, if someone else wishes to comment, then by all means they should do so, but let's go ahead and vote, since we know where everyone stands on this matter.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
Well, I'm suggesting as the chair that we have the motion. It's been read in both official languages. I don't think it's inappropriate to have them. Mr. Masse indicated he wanted to speak and have other members of the committee address the motion.
A point of order, Mr. McTeague.
Liberal
Dan McTeague Liberal Pickering—Scarborough East, ON
Mr. Chair, I may be of some assistance to you. I think I clearly said at the beginning of my first comment that I did indeed second the motion. We support the motion, and I believed, as did Mr. Crête, that debate had begun from that point forward. But I accept the manner in which you're presenting this.
Conservative
Liberal
Dan McTeague Liberal Pickering—Scarborough East, ON
I think Mr. Crête read something. Did you not read something into the record?
