Industry Committee on Aug. 16th, 2010

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Order. We're coming out of suspension.

As I mentioned before, we're here pursuant to the request of four members to have a planning meeting concerning the Government of Canada's decision to eliminate the long census.

I wanted to let members of the committee know that I will be adjourning the meeting at five o'clock. I expect that the members of this committee will be able to or will not be able to come to a decision on what they would like to do in this matter, and that the remaining 57 minutes is ample time for the 11 members of the committee to arrive at one decision or another. So I just wanted to let members of the committee know that I will be adjourning at five o'clock promptly.

Is there any debate?

I see, Mr. Garneau, that you have something to say. Go ahead.

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC]

Yes, Mr. Chair, I would like to suggest that we hold a second day of hearings for witnesses who would like to speak on the topic. I would like to suggest Thursday, August 19, as the date for this meeting, if that is all right with you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Merci.

Mr. Garneau is proposing that the committee meet on Thursday.

Monsieur Bouchard.

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

I support Mr. Garneau's proposal that we hold a second meeting to welcome other witnesses. We have already heard a number of them and I believe the issue is very important. Given the importance of the topic, I believe it is essential that other witnesses have the opportunity to speak to the change introduced at the end of June, when the long-form questionnaire became voluntary.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Mr. Masse.

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

I agree, Mr. Chair, that the continued public interest in this case warrants another meeting at the very least. If not the Thursday, I would suggest that Friday, just depending upon witnesses and availability, would be my preference. We certainly can accommodate the Thursday, but we prefer Friday.

Aside from that, we believe there still is a general interest. There are witnesses who have asked to appear before us as well, too, so I think it's incumbent upon us to be inclusive.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you, Mr. Masse.

Mr. Lake.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It seems as though the other three parties have coordinated nicely and come up with a plan. Obviously we're not going to stand in the way of that.

I think what we need to look at is a reasonable date. If this is not simply a political exercise, then we have to come up with a game plan that's going to give witnesses time to make plans to come here. It's very unreasonable that we would plan a meeting for three days from today. By the time the meeting's done.... We're through the business day today, so I don't think that's....

I mean, I'm not saying that this is a political exercise on the opposition's part. It seems that they're somewhat coordinated in their approach, but I certainly wouldn't accuse them of being political in any way on this issue. Perhaps we maybe want to have a reasonable timeframe before we have our next meeting to make sure that we get the best possible selection of witnesses that we can have.

I would suggest that perhaps a suitable date might be the week following the Labour Day long weekend, maybe, when people are actually back from vacation time and the different things that occupy them during the summer. Perhaps that would be a reasonable time to have a meeting.

Maybe we can find some compromise here.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

So, Mr. Lake, you're suggesting the week of Tuesday the seventh.

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

That would be correct, yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Okay. Thank you.

Let's see if we can form a consensus here.

As I understand it, Mr. Garneau is suggesting Thursday, August 19. Monsieur Bouchard is in agreement with that. Mr. Masse is suggesting either the 19th or the 20th.

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

I can do the Thursday if necessary.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Yes.

Mr. Lake is suggesting the week beginning with Labour Day Monday, which is the week of Tuesday, September 7.

Now, there are just two issues as chair that I want to draw to members' attention, before we go to Mr. Wallace. The first is that on Thursday it would be difficult for me to chair the meeting. I have some prior commitments in the riding that would be difficult for me to get out of. I would be available Friday to chair a meeting.

[Dan McTeague, Liberal, Pickering—Scarborough East, ON]

So not on Thursday.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Not on Thursday; it would be difficult. I might be able to rearrange some of the commitments I have, but that's only three days from now, and I've made some significant constituent commitments. It would be difficult for me to try to rearrange that, but Friday I'm currently available.

I am available the week of....

Mr. Lake indicates that he's not available on Thursday either.

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

Not Friday either.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Friday he's not available either.

The first point I want to make is that I'm not available on Thursday to chair a meeting, so it would require a vice-chair to take the chair. But later on this month, or early September, I am available.

The second point I want to make is what assurances do we have, since members of the opposition are asking for this meeting this week, that witnesses will actually appear, have the ability to appear, this Thursday and Friday?

Before we go to Mr. Wallace, Mr. Garneau.

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC]

Mr. Chair, I would like to take a vote on Friday, August 20, as the date for us to hold this, on the understanding that you will be there.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Well, let's make sure the debate's exhausted on this first before I call the vote.

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC]

Very good.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Since, Mr. Garneau, you spoke first about it....

We currently have a motion on the floor.

I'll interpret or read out your motion as I understand it. Your motion is that we have a committee hearing to have a second day of hearings on the issue of the census this Friday, August 20.

There are a number of members who want to speak to that motion still, but before we go to that, I have a second point that I want to draw to members' attention. What assurances do we have, given the short notice, that witnesses will actually appear on Friday if they're called?

[An hon. member]

[Inaudible--Editor]

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

I am asking the question of members of the opposition because you've requested that we hold the meeting on Friday. What I don't want to have happen is that after this meeting adjourns, if it is agreed that it is Friday, we end up in a situation where my clerk is contacting potential witnesses, and in each and every case they're telling us they're not available because it's such a short time to appear, so we end up having a meeting on Friday with no witnesses.

Mr. Garneau.

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC]

Well, of course, Mr. Chair, we could not give a firm date to our witnesses until we had today's meeting, but we did enter into contact with them and we did point out that it might occur later this week. We feel reasonably confident that there will be...and we have a list here, as you see, of 23 witnesses. We feel reasonably satisfied that there will be a good representation.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Okay. Thank you for that.

We have a motion on the floor.

We have a point of order from Mr. Lake. Go ahead.