Evidence of meeting #1 for Industry, Science and Technology in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Lake Conservative Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB
Yes: that the Chair be authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence and to have that evidence printed when a quorum is not present, provided that at least four members are present, including one member from each recognized party; in the case of previously scheduled meetings taking place outside the parliamentary precinct, the committee members in attendance shall only be required to wait for 15 minutes following the designated start of the meeting before they may proceed to hear witnesses and receive evidence, regardless of whether opposition or government members are present.
It allows us to hold a meeting to receive evidence when we don't have a quorum, right? That's the point of this. We just need to have one member from each party here--four members in total.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
I have a point of clarification, just for everybody's comfort. This is to receive evidence. This isn't for a committee to make a decision on a report or anything like that.
Is there any other discussion on this?
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Lake Conservative Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB
In the absence of this, we need to have quorum to receive evidence.
June 15th, 2011 / 3:55 p.m.
NDP
Hélène LeBlanc NDP LaSalle—Émard, QC
If one member of the Liberal Party, let's say, is not there, we don't sit?
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Lake Conservative Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB
It says “when a quorum is not present”. It refers to a situation when a quorum is not present.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Lake Conservative Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB
It says, “that the Chair be authorized to hold meetings and receive evidence and to have that evidence printed when a quorum is not present...”.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Lake Conservative Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB
It says “provided that at least four members are present, including one member of each recognized party”. This only applies when a quorum is not present.
3:55 p.m.
The Clerk
Seven.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Lake Conservative Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB
The clerk says seven is a quorum, so if we have seven members, a quorum is present, at which point we would conduct our meeting as we always would.
3:55 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
Yes, and I certainly bear no ill regard for my friends from the Liberal Party, but it would mean that a group of seven—
3:55 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
If a Liberal is not present because they're doing double duty or whatever, and we don't have seven, then automatically a Liberal has to be present at the lower threshold. Do you understand?
The quorum of seven requires some representation from both sides, but you're falling to a lower threshold and making it obligatory that the Liberal Party be present in order to hear evidence.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
Just on that point, because I want to clear that up, there's no obligation for any opposition members to be present. Currently there are six members on the government side, plus the chair, and we could proceed with the meeting.
3:55 p.m.
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
Yes, that's the problem. That's what I was just saying. It's the same situation that happened at steering committee, so I was going to ask whether the chair counted as quorum.