Yes, Mr. Julian.
Evidence of meeting #15 for International Trade in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
Evidence of meeting #15 for International Trade in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
3:10 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
--I would disagree with you on motion number one. It is in order. It's certainly within the purview of this committee to adopt such a motion, and I would recommend that we move to consideration of the motion.
3:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
But, Mr. Julian, I looked at the motion that was passed by this committee and tabled in the House the last day the House sat, and it's the same motion. It's been done. How can the committee deal with the same motion again? Are we going to start passing the same motion again and again? It's clearly out of order.
Yes, Mr. Paquette.
July 13th, 2006 / 3:10 p.m.
Bloc
Pierre Paquette Bloc Joliette, QC
Mr. Chairman, as regards this motion and loan guarantees, I wish to remind you that the report made reference to the agreement reached by Canada and the United States, and that we asked that loan guarantees be put in place if we were not given assurances that the Americans would pay back the amount due within the prescribed time frame. So, this has nothing whatsoever to do with that.
In our opinion, if there is no agreement, that motion can once again be deemed to be in order. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the other motion, which referred to loan guarantees, but as part of the negotiations undertaken following the framework agreement announced on April 27th.
This motion asks that a loan guarantee program be introduced.
3:10 p.m.
Conservative
3:10 p.m.
Conservative
Rahim Jaffer Conservative Edmonton Strathcona, AB
I don't mind discussing these motions. I thought you just made a plea to the committee to go ahead with the witness list first and then deal with these motions at the end. Are we following that plan or are we moving on to the debate?
3:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
Well, that's what I suggested as chair, because in my judgment the first two motions really shouldn't be dealt with, but we can deal with them all at the end without the proper notice.
3:10 p.m.
Conservative
Rahim Jaffer Conservative Edmonton Strathcona, AB
And Mr. Chair, if I can say so, that could be dealt with in the debate. I just saw the motions now, and I wouldn't mind moving to the witness list so I could at least read the motions and get prepared for the debate on these motions, if we were going to have one later in the meeting.
3:10 p.m.
Conservative
3:10 p.m.
Liberal
Dominic LeBlanc Liberal Beauséjour, NB
Mr. Chairman--perhaps with the indulgence of Mr. Julian--if the committee would agree, why don't we allow him to propose his third motion, which does in fact deal with the scheduling of witnesses? I think if he were allowed to propose that motion in the conversation around motion number three, we would certainly talk about witnesses and scheduling.
3:15 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
3:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
Let's go ahead, then, with number three. Number three is clearly in order. The 48 hours' notice is not required because it does deal with the softwood lumber agreement.
Mr. Julian, go ahead, please.
3:15 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
The motion reads:
Given the profound changes in the document signed by the Minister of International Trade and the impact of these changes on Canada's softwood lumber policy framework, that the Standing Committee on International Trade hold several meetings and briefings this summer to study the July 1, 2006, softwood lumber agreement initialled by the Minister of International Trade and that this Committee request the appearance of the Minister of International Trade, Mr. David Emerson, and the representatives of forestry industries in affected provinces and their provincial governments so as to better understand their objections to the agreement and explore alternatives.
3:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
Mr. Julian, going ahead with the discussion on this motion, are you prepared to table a list of witnesses you would like to come before the committee, and are all opposition members ready to do that? We're certainly ready to do that.
3:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
But of course we'll have the discussion on the motion first.
Mr. Julian, first of all, you as the mover have a right to speak to the motion if you would like.
3:15 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
It's an extremely important situation, Mr. Chair. As we know, on July 1, to the surprise of everybody, the softwood industry across the country opposed the draft agreement that was distributed on June 30. That deal, which was rejected by the industry, was initialled by the minister.
So it's important for this committee to work through the course of the summer and to identify a couple of key dates. I believe there will be amendments brought to this motion, which may identify some key dates and which will allow us to take the time to work carefully through all of the implications and the alternatives that this committee could be proposing to the government.
3:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
For the sake of speeding this up, are you prepared now to bring to the committee a list of witnesses so that we can get an idea of what you're talking about in terms of requirements for a meeting?
3:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
Okay, you are. And we are prepared too. We have a list.
Do members of the Liberal official opposition and the Bloc have a list of witnesses ready to bring before the committee?
Yes, Mr. LeBlanc.
3:15 p.m.
Liberal
Dominic LeBlanc Liberal Beauséjour, NB
Mr. Chairman, my colleagues and I would certainly make some suggestions today, and depending on the other lists proposed, we would get back to the clerk very quickly with suggestions. I think we're all going to zero in on many of the same people.
But, Mr. Chairman, I'd like to propose a slight amendment to Mr. Julian's motion number three, which he just read, and I'm hoping he will accept it. What I would suggest, Mr. Chairman, is that in the fourth line, where we say “the Standing Committee on International Trade hold”, I would substitute, immediately after the word “hold”, “a meeting on Monday, July 31, and on Monday, August 21, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days”, and then continue with “to study the July 1...”. So I would suggest we remove the words “several meetings and briefings this summer” and put “two meetings on Monday, July 31, and on Monday, August 21, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.” The rest of the motion would remain the same, and we could go on to talk about witnesses on those dates. That would be my suggested amendment.
3:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
You've heard the proposed amendment.
Mr. Julian, do you consider that to be a friendly amendment?
3:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
The amendment, then, has been accepted. Is there any discussion on the motion as amended?
We're going ahead with the motion as amended through the friendly amendment by Mr. LeBlanc.
Yes, Ms. Guergis.