Industry Committee on June 15th, 2011

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

But it has been the previous.... By having support staff come during in camera and then having the PS position, actually the committee was changed, and that's the reality. It wasn't the thing that happened for the history of Parliament. It was changed under the Paul Martin administration. That's when the PS was introduced into the committee system. Prior to that, it was not the practice.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

I seldom make any comment, but I see that in our various different debates history is sometimes good and sometimes bad. It's kind of interesting how we....

Mr. Julian, did you have a comment?

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

I will just say that if the current government wants to model it on the Paul Martin government, that's up to them, I imagine. But I think the importance of this, and the point that Mr. Masse has made quite effectively, is that this committee should be endeavouring to do its work in a collaborative way and, as much as possible, independently from government direction, which may or may not be different from where the committee may go.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Mr. Hsu.

[Ted Hsu, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Could I just ask Mr. Julian a question? It seems that the point doesn't apply to a party staff member who might come from an opposition party, because we're not part of the government. We're not bringing in parliamentary secretaries or somebody associated with the government.

You're only opposed to somebody from the government side coming in, right? I mean philosophically.

I would humbly ask the committee to allow every party to bring somebody from the House officers.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Okay.

Mr. Julian, you can respond to that.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

There were two different discussions. Mr. Masse raised the issue of independence of the committee generally, but going back specifically to Mr. Lake's proposal, the only concern I had in the direct reading is that it seemed to limit us to one representative for the party, which is a little bit different from how the original motion was worded.

But I don't have a big difficulty with it either way, and Mr. Masse has raised some very relevant points as to why in a general sense this may not be a good thing. It wasn't intended in any way to eliminate the Liberals' ability to have two staff members, because that of course is a good thing.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Okay. That was even tough for me to stay straight as the chair.

It sounds like we now are going to a vote on this. All those in favour of Mr. Lake's addition of an extra staff member from the House officers...?

(Motion agreed to)

Do you have the wording for that?

[The Clerk]

Yes.

[Glenn Thibeault, NDP, Sudbury, ON]

Now we're having fun.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Yes.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

I hope it's not the last time.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Okay. We're going to be dealing with a motion on transcripts of in camera meetings: that one copy of the transcript of each in camera meeting be kept in the committee clerk's office for consultation by members of the committee or by their staff.

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

Again, Mr. Chair, consistent with what we did previously, I'll move a motion that in camera meetings be transcribed and that the transcription be kept with the clerk of the committee for later consultation by members of Parliament.

In the past we didn't include staff in the motion, and I think we should move forward in the same manner this time.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Mr. Masse.

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

So this would mean that members who are not committee members would have access to that. Maybe we should say “members of Parliament”--

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

The way that would be worded would be “members of Parliament”--

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

Yes, “members of the committee” would be fine.

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

Okay.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

So that should be “members of the committee”.

[The Clerk]

Yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Yes, we did have an occurrence of that this last year. We had to come to your office--

[The Clerk]

Yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

--and read that. So we know of what we speak in that regard.

Mr. Hsu.