Industry Committee on May 17th, 2012

[Gay Yuyitung]

No, that was it.

[Dr. Catherine Beaudry]

Just very quickly, we surveyed a number of firms in nanotechnology, and what they have told us is that they strategically patent in the markets where they want to expand. They might patent a compound in a number of countries, but not in other countries. They can't afford to patent in every single jurisdiction, so they strategically post their patents throughout the world.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

That pretty well does it, Mr. Carmichael.

Now we go on to Mr. Harris for five minutes.

[Dan Harris, NDP, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

I think getting that first foot in the door is really the critical thing with the patents. I think that has been illustrated by everyone.

I apologize quickly to the witnesses, but I have some committee housekeeping to attend to now.

I noticed that in today's agenda we didn't have the notice of motion that I had submitted, so I would like to introduce the motion now. It is that the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology immediately call representatives from MDA and Industry Canada to appear before this committee on Tuesday, May 29, 2012, to update the committee on the status of the RADARSAT constellation program.

I have a copy of the motion in both languages as well. I would not want us to kick out the witnesses, but perhaps we can attend to this at the end of the meeting.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

I think you'll find agreement on that—I would hope.

All right, then we'll attend to that in the last 15 minutes.

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

Why don't we just deal with it now—move the motion and...?

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

It looks as though the mover was okay with delaying it.

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

If Mr. Braid is okay with it, then....

[Peter Braid, Conservative, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

I'm okay with the motion, but I think—

[Dan Harris, NDP, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

If we don't have to kick out the witnesses, I'm fine with doing it now.

[Peter Braid, Conservative, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

I'm certainly fine with dealing with the motion today, but out of respect for the process and the witnesses who have appeared here, some of whom have travelled from other parts of the country, I think we should deal with this in the last segment of the meeting.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Hang on a second. Just to clarify, the mover was okay with it.

We have Mr. Regan and then Mr. Masse.

[Dan Harris, NDP, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Provided we don't throw out the witnesses, then yes, I'm okay with doing it now.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chairman, although I'm going to want to add to that motion that we invite the minister, I wouldn't want us to get into a debate about the motion and miss the opportunity to speak, because that could go on for the rest of the meeting, as you understand. So I would rather we look at this at the end of the meeting for that reason, preferably in an open meeting.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Okay.

Mr. Masse.

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

Mr. Regan's suggestion is fine with us. If it's fine with the Conservatives, then we could dispense with this right now and vote and be done with it altogether and move back in. So if you're agreeable, why don't we just do this now and be done with it altogether?

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

And have no more debate on the...?

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

Yes, no more debate, and if we're in favour of it, then great. We'll move on from there.

[Peter Braid, Conservative, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

I think we want to have the opportunity to discuss the motion. We haven't done that yet as a committee and we should have the opportunity to do it toward the end.

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

I'm not going to debate it now. If there was agreement from the other side to move forward, that's all I was trying to provide the opportunity for. I don't want to debate it, but if there's no agreement from the other side right now, then we'll figure it out later.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

We'll go with four more questioners, then, and then we will go back to the motion.

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Mr. Harris.

[Lee Richardson, Conservative, Calgary Centre, AB]

Is there even time for this?

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

No, Mr. Richardson. There was for the motion, but not for debate.

Mr. Harris.