Industry Committee on Oct. 15th, 2020

[The Chair, Liberal, Sherry Romanado]

Thank you very much, Madam Lambropoulos.

Is this a friendly amendment that you would like to make, and if so, how much time would you like allocated?

[Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Liberal, Saint-Laurent, QC]

I believe that something around seven minutes might give us more time to allow all of us to ask our questions. That's why the witnesses are here in the first place: to answer our questions.

Seven minutes at the beginning may be apropos, if that's okay with everyone else.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sherry Romanado]

Members, we have an amendment on the floor. Is there any debate, or are there any questions on the amendment?

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

No, I think it's reasonable, Madam Chair. Sometimes we've gone in this direction before, so I support formalizing it to ease the transition.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sherry Romanado]

Perfect.

Are there any other comments or questions regarding the amendment?

Mr. Lemire?

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Do we need to establish a time limit of seven minutes? It can be a goal. However, I know that meetings were held where there were several witnesses and where the time was decreased to five minutes. All the rounds must be completed, but we can also give the clerk and the chair some flexibility in terms of the time. In any event, I agree that we should ensure that each speaking time is adhered to.

I want to know one thing.

In the past, the order that Ms. Jaczek just gave was in effect. However, I gather from the procedure committee's routine motion, in the second and third rounds, the order was changed to give each political party the opportunity to speak. The motion proposed that the Conservative Party have five minutes; that the Liberal Party also have five minutes; that the Bloc Québécois have two and a half minutes; that the New Democratic Party also have two and a half minutes; that the Conservative Party have five minutes; and that the Liberal Party also have five minutes. The third round is next.

Is the committee aware of this? I think that this was proposed. I want to move an amendment to include this round.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sherry Romanado]

Mr. Lemire, we must address the first amendment before you can move a second one.

We'll discuss Ms. Lambropoulos' amendment to decrease the time for witnesses' presentations from ten minutes to seven minutes. I'll then accept other amendments to the motion.

[Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Liberal, Saint-Laurent, QC]

Now that the other committee members have shared their views, I move that we give the witnesses a maximum of seven minutes for their presentations. This time could be decreased to five minutes, if the committee so desires. Perhaps a maximum of seven minutes would give us more flexibility.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sherry Romanado]

Are there any more questions or comments regarding the first amendment, to change the motion to include a maximum of seven minutes for the opening statements by witnesses?

(Amendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

We'll now move back to the original motion, as amended.

Mr. Lemire, you wanted to move an amendment. Is that right?

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Yes. I'll read it.

That, taking into account the routine motion adopted by the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, for the second and subsequent rounds, the order be as follows:

Conservative Party, five minutes

Liberal Party, five minutes

Bloc Québécois, two and a half minutes

New Democratic Party, two and a half minutes

Conservative Party, five minutes

Liberal Party, five minutes.

I move that the order be changed so that, if the meeting is coming to an end, the party isn't—

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

Chair, I can't hear the translation,

I'm sorry to interrupt, Sébastien.

I'm having a hard time. I don't know whether it's just me, but I cannot hear the translation. It's very difficult.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sherry Romanado]

One moment; we'll double-check with the clerk whether it's working.

Is anyone else having difficulty with translation?

Mr. Ehsassi, is it okay?

Mr. Lemire, are you on the French channel? Can everyone hear the interpretation right now?

Mr. Lemire, can you please start again?

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

It's still working, but the challenge is that we still hear your voice significantly too. That's the challenge with Sébastien as well, that we're hearing both at the same time. It's not much, but it's enough that it's rather annoying and distracting, to be honest.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sherry Romanado]

Okay, one moment.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Yes, I was on the French channel. Can you hear me better now? Obviously, you can't.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sherry Romanado]

Yes.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Okay. Here's my amendment:

That, taking into account the routine motion adopted by the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, for the second and subsequent rounds, the order be as follows:

Conservative Party, five minutes

Liberal Party, five minutes

Bloc Québécois, two and a half minutes

New Democratic Party, two and a half minutes

Conservative Party, five minutes

Liberal Party, five minutes.

No time was added to any of the parties. The time is the same, but the order is different. That way, no party is penalized as a result of not being able to take the floor at the end of the meeting, as we've unfortunately seen all too often.

I'm making this proposal in the spirit of the motion adopted by the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sherry Romanado]

Thank you.

We have an amendment on the floor to change the second and subsequent rounds, moving up the two slots for the NDP and the Bloc so that they are sandwiched in-between to make sure there's a chance for all parties to participate in all of the rounds. I know that in the last session we worked really hard to make sure that everyone got their rounds in.

Is there any other debate on that amendment?

(Amendment agreed to)

Is there any debate on the motion as amended?

(Motion as amended agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

Madam Jaczek.

[Helena Jaczek, Liberal, Markham—Stouffville, ON]

The next motion is on document distribution

That the clerk of the committee be authorized to distribute documents to members of the committee only when the documents are available in both official languages, and that witnesses be advised accordingly;

[The Chair, Liberal, Sherry Romanado]

Do members have any questions or comments?

(Motion agreed to)

[Helena Jaczek, Liberal, Markham—Stouffville, ON]

The next is on working meals:

That the clerk of the committee be authorized to make the necessary arrangements to provide working meals for the committee and its subcommittees;

[The Chair, Liberal, Sherry Romanado]

Are there any comments or questions on the motion?

(Motion agreed to)

[Helena Jaczek, Liberal, Markham—Stouffville, ON]

The next is on travel, accommodation and the living expenses of witnesses

That, if requested, reasonable travel, accommodation and living expenses be reimbursed to witnesses, not exceeding two representatives per organization; and that, in exceptional circumstances, payment for more representatives be made at the discretion of the chair;

[The Chair, Liberal, Sherry Romanado]

Do members have any questions or comments?

(Motion agreed to)

[Helena Jaczek, Liberal, Markham—Stouffville, ON]

In the spirit of collaboration, I'm going to switch to French.

Here's the motion concerning access to in camera meetings:

That, unless otherwise ordered, each committee member be allowed to have one staff member at in camera meetings and that one additional person from each House Officer's office be allowed to be present.