Evidence of meeting #38 for Industry, Science and Technology in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was commercialization.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON
We will be voting against this. So you can call the question, if that's all right.
Conservative
NDP
Peggy Nash NDP Parkdale—High Park, ON
What I would like to do is learn more about this bill and about the act itself. I guess if we pass this motion, we take away that possibility, because we would be saying that the bill goes immediately back to the House.
The act itself is a complex piece of legislation. I appreciate that in the past there may have been thorough studies of it, but I'd like to learn more about it and see if perhaps there might be some amendments proposed that are in the spirit of the changes being proposed in this bill but that could perhaps strengthen it. So while I support the initiative of the bill, I'm not keen to just rush it through the committee.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
Thank you.
I don't have any further members on the list, so I'll call the question.
Bloc
Robert Vincent Bloc Shefford, QC
The Chair asked if anyone else wanted to speak and I waited before raising my hand. You had already proceeded to call the question. However, I did want to say something.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
Monsieur Vincent, I will indicate that I have to go to the liaison committee today to argue that the committee should travel. If members want to travel and want the chair to go argue to that committee, they have to let me, the clerk, and the researcher leave at a certain point. So I'll just put that on the floor.
Okay, Monsieur Vincent, you have the floor.
Bloc
Robert Vincent Bloc Shefford, QC
It is important for us to want to give the Competition Tribunal and the Competition Act more bite. Gas prices are skyrocketing and our constituents are complaining to us that the situation is utterly ridiculous. Yet, the committee doesn't feel that a discussion of the issue is warranted at this time. I'm appalled, Mr. Chairman, that people are sitting on their hands and doing nothing about this. I've a problem with this, but ultimately, the members are the ones who will be voting.
Nevertheless, we will likely be discussing this matter with our constituents this summer when we are back in our ridings. We'll be able to tell them that in the face of skyrocketing gas prices, the members of the industry committee did nothing.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
Thank you.
I'll just point out as the chair that if this motion is adopted or not adopted, it does not prevent the committee from looking into gasoline prices as an issue. And further to that, if this motion is not adopted, I presume the committee will want to study this bill in detail, which will include some competitive related aspects of the gasoline industry. The committee is free to review it under this bill or aside from this bill.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
We'll vote on the motion.
(Motion negatived) [See Minutes of Proceedings]
Conservative
