International Trade Committee on July 13th, 2006

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

I would just scratch out the whole motion, Mr. Chair.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

I don't think that amendment would be in order.

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

Isn't that a friendly amendment?

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

I don't think it's in order, no.

Any suggestions on how to put that together?

[Helena Guergis, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Can I make a point here? Can I add to it?

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Yes, Ms. Guergis.

[Helena Guergis, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

I think what Mr. Menzies is trying to say is if we added in here that if the legislation fails in the House.... Yes, the ECC is suspended, but if the legislation fails in the House, it automatically goes back into play. So if we lose the vote in the House--that is a fact, Mr. Julian--then it automatically begins the process; it's reinstated and it starts again. So I guess if we bring it to the House and we vote and we lose confidence, we're back on the campaign trail and the ECC is back in place.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Okay. Thank you, Ms. Guergis.

So I'm still kind of waiting for the wording of this amendment. It could take some time; it's kind of hard to fit together. I understand the intent of Mr. Menzies....

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

I'm just trying to get rid of the false statements in here.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Mr. Julian.

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

Mr. Chair, if I may, Mr. Menzies had this motion yesterday morning.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Mr. Menzies, it's important; we can take some time here. It's important, if you're going to make an amendment, that it works and that it can be done properly.

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

With the help of our wonderful clerk, I would ask once again that we remove the word “delayed” and put in “alleviated legal proceedings relating to the countervailing duty order on softwood lumber from Canada”.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

All members have heard the proposed amendment now. Is there any more discussion? There was someone who had indicated they wanted to speak on that.

On motion number two, it is proposed that it be amended by removing in the second line the word “delayed” and replacing it with “alleviated”; by removing the words starting on the second line “that would otherwise bring to swift conclusion” and replacing the words after “proceedings” with “relating to the countervailing duty order on softwood lumber”. That's the way it would read.

Is there any other discussion on this amendment?

(Amendment negatived)

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

We'll go back to the motion now unamended. We'll go to the question on the motion.

(Motion agreed to) [See Minutes of Proceedings]

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Is there any other business before the committee today?

We do have a budget item we have to deal with.

We have incurred some cost for witnesses. What I get, as the chair of the committee, is a statement with a blanket number to cover these costs. I've asked the clerk to provide one sheet on the cost to each witness or group of witnesses that is appearing before the committee. That will happen in the future, so we'll know in a little more detail, without becoming too bureaucratic about it, what our money is being spent on.

We have a request here for witness costs of $5,300--witness expenses of $4,800 and miscellaneous $500. Of course, if this isn't all used it will be returned, as is the norm. That's for each meeting.

You have before you the details. The total amount would be $19,700. That would break down to witness expenses $19,200 and miscellaneous $500. That's the amount we'll be voting on.

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Mr. Eyking.

[Mark Eyking, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

It was brought up in this committee today that maybe we should be going to Washington. If that were the desire of the committee, to go to Washington, would we have to put a budget forward soon?

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

We would have to put a budget to the liaison committee. I don't know when they're meeting next, but it takes some time. We'd never have it happen before September. It would be some time later than that, certainly.

[Mark Eyking, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

The only way it could happen would be if we were to use our points--I think we're given points, as members of Parliament--to travel to Washington.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Before we carry on with the discussion, is there unanimous agreement to go ahead with it in that fashion?

There isn't, so there's no use discussing it further unless we're going to put a motion forward and go through the proper process.

[Mark Eyking, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

I'd like to make a motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Okay. Go ahead and make your motion, Mr. Eyking.