Industry Committee on Feb. 5th, 2009

[Robert Bouchard, Bloc, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

As far as I am concerned, I am in favour of removing the requirement for the 10 minutes. A member of the opposition has to be present, and, if there is none, it implies that the session will not take place.

Given the number of people that the opposition can call on, I feel sure that this situation will not arise. However, we have to make sure that the committee always has this balance, that the three members do not always come from the government side and that we always need one member of the opposition. If there is no opposition member among the three, the session should not be held. That should never happen, in my opinion, given how many of us there are.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Are there any other comments?

Are there any other people wishing to speak to this amendment to the main motion?

I'll put the question.

(Amendment negatived)

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Returning to the motion for reduced quorum, are there any further amendments to it?

The amendment proposed by Monsieur Vincent was defeated, so we're now returning to the motion as originally worded.

Are there any further amendments to this motion or is there further discussion?

Seeing none, I'll call the question.

(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

I will move to the fourth proposed routine motion,

about designating a chair.

I'll just read it out so that everybody understands the motion:

That when the chair is unable to act in that capacity at or during a meeting of the committee, the chair shall designate a member of the committee to act as chair at or during the said meeting and that such an acting chair shall be vested with all the powers of the chair at or during the said meeting.

We need a mover for the motion.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

I'll move it and then add some clarification.

Obviously you as chair would defer first to the first and second vice-chairs. It's an unusual motion. That's the only concern I have: to get assurance that the first and second vice-chairs would first be asked.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

This motion is there because normally, in the event that the chair cannot act, the vice-chair or the second vice-chair takes over, but in the event that neither one of those two individuals is available, this motion empowers the chair to designate another person of the committee to sit in the chair.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

Thanks for the clarification; that's great. As long as that's the assurance, I don't know that we need to include it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Just to clarify, normally in the event that the chair cannot act as chair, the vice-chair assumes the chair; or in the event that the vice-chair is not available, the second vice-chair assumes the chair. But in the event that neither one of those two vice-chairs is able to fill the role of chair, this motion empowers the chair to designate another member of the committee to sit in for the chair.

[Anthony Rota, Liberal, Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON]

I went through it and put a question mark next to it. That's not what I read into it. It's almost as though the chair can assign anyone. I'd just scrap it completely.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Mr. Lake was next.

Are you done, Mr. Rota?

[Anthony Rota, Liberal, Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON]

Actually, I was just going to suggest that we have some kind of amendment stating exactly that if first and second vice-chairs are not available, then it would be done.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

If you'd be willing, Mr. Rota, to move an amendment to the motion, I'm sure the committee will adopt it.

[Anthony Rota, Liberal, Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON]

We'll let Mr. Lake go ahead.

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

I can move it, because it's pretty straightforward: that when the chair and both vice-chairs are unable to act in that capacity. And you could then just go from there.

[Anthony Rota, Liberal, Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON]

I think that would cover the ground.

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

Yes, it's not explicit enough in the wording here.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

We have an amendment to the motion to add the words, “and vice-chairs are” in the first sentence. I'll read the motion as it's been amended, and we can vote on the amendment:

That when the chair and vice-chairs are unable to act in that capacity at or during a meeting of the committee, the chair shall designate a member of the committee to act as chair at or during the said meeting; and that such an acting chair shall be vested with all the powers of the chairman at or during the said meeting.

[Anthony Rota, Liberal, Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON]

The only change I would suggest is that, rather than “and”—because it sounds as if we're all going to be chairing this committee—it be “or”.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

I'll read the amended motion one more time, and then we can vote on it:

That when the Chair or Vice-Chairs are unable to act in that capacity at or during a meeting of the Committee, the Chair shall designate a member of the Committee to act as Chair at or during the said meeting; and that such an acting Chair shall be vested with all the powers of the Chairman at or during the said meeting.

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

I'm sorry to get sticky on the wording, but just to get it right, when we say “in that capacity”, it works in the original wording, but it doesn't work when you're saying “chair or vice-chairs”. You're going to have to say “act as chair at or during a meeting”.

I'm sorry, but we have to be accurate. If you say “in that capacity” once you've said “chairs or vice-chairs”, “in that capacity” refers to something different from what it did in the first instance.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

So what are you proposing?

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

We're going to have to change the wording from “unable to act in that capacity” to “unable to act as chair”. Otherwise, it refers to chairs or vice-chairs.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Is there any more discussion on the amendment to the motion?

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

The only thing is that I think that's been the general practice at all the committees I've been at. We can add it if we want to, but I had faith in the chair and vice-chairs that this would take place.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

We'll vote on the amendment to the main motion.

(Amendment agreed to)

(Motion as amended agreed to)