International Trade Committee on May 8th, 2007

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Good morning, everyone.

Today, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade is undertaking a study to examine the machinery of government, and through this understanding how we can create a better trading strategy, making Canada more competitive internationally for our citizens and businesses.

The objectives of this study are to evaluate how the machinery of government delivers trade and investment services, promotion of Canadian products overseas, and the idea that Canada is a marquee destination for investment.

Today we will be hearing evidence from a group of witnesses, but before we get to the witnesses, I would like to just explain a little bit more of what we're talking about when we're using the term “machinery of government”. It refers to a collection of federal government departments and agencies that play a role in setting, implementing, promoting, and enforcing the various aspects of Canada's international trade and investment policies.

Yes, Monsieur Cardin, you have a point of order.

[Serge Cardin, Bloc, Sherbrooke, QC]

Pardon me, Mr. Chair. I didn't realize that you were going to move so quickly to the item on today's agenda.

First off, I'd like you to start with the notices of motion, if possible. I think the majority of members here would agree with me. I'd like us to dispense with motions quickly since we're not likely be able to come back to them for some time. Therefore, I suggest we amend our agenda and begin with motions.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Monsieur Cardin, we do have an agenda here for the meeting today, and that agenda has the business of the committee at the last half hour. We'll leave half an hour at the end of the committee to deal with that. So unless the committee instructs otherwise, that's the way we'll proceed with the meeting.

We do have witnesses sitting here, ready to go.

Mr. Julian, is this a point of order?

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

We have a motion from Mr. Cardin. I will second that motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

I didn't hear a motion.

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

I believe he did move a motion, and I will second--

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

No, there's no motion, Mr. Julian.

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

Well, in that case, I move a motion--

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

What motion is that, Mr. Julian?

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

--that we first deal with the motions before us, the committee business, and then secondly, hear the witnesses. It should take very little time, and I believe Monsieur Cardin is right in stressing that we didn't close that item of business from the last meeting.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Mr. Julian, we have witnesses here, ready to go. We have an agenda. I am here, of course, to carry out the will of the committee.

Mr. Julian has put a motion before the committee. Is there any discussion on the motion?

Yes, Mr. Cannan.

[Ron Cannan, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'd be speaking against the motion. I think out of respect for the witnesses, if we want, as a committee, to change our agenda, we should at least deal with the witnesses first and then deal with the other items. I know there are two motions to deal with, plus our travel budget has to be dealt with as well. I think it would be appropriate. We want to give fair time to debate the issue, but I don't think we should have our guests sit here and listen to the debate for however long it takes. It's not a protocol of respect.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Yes, actually, just as a correction, we don't have two motions necessarily. We have put this on the agenda just to let members know that these motions have been tabled with the committee and have the appropriate 48 hours' notice. That doesn't mean the members will bring them up, but they are there.

Yes, Mr. Menzies.

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

Once again, I just find this absolutely repugnant. We have invited guests, witnesses who have better things to do than sit and listen to this debate. If we were going to do this, we shouldn't have invited our guests at the beginning. They're here. Let's listen to our witnesses. We will set time aside at the end of this. Let's show respect to our witnesses.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Mr. Menzies, that's what has been done. There is a motion on the floor to change that, of course. I'll get to a vote on the motion as quickly as possible.

Monsieur André, you've indicated you'd like to speak.

[Guy André, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

As you know, we were not able to debate this motion at our last meeting because time ran out. Fifteen minutes is not enough time to discuss an issue thoroughly. That being said, I ask that we vote on Mr. Julian's motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Mr. Lemieux.

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

I think the point, Mr. Chair, is we do need sufficient time to debate motions.

Yes?

[Guy André, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

I asked to vote.

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

No, you can't ask to vote when there is debate going on.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Order. Come on, let's have order at this committee.

Monsieur André, the chair decides when there will be a vote. Mr. Lemieux has the floor. Please respect that.

Go ahead, Mr. Lemieux.

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Just to clarify, you can't force a vote. If there's debate on the motion, there's debate.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Through the chair, Mr. Lemieux, please.

Let's go ahead.

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

What I'm saying, Mr. Chair, is that one point is well taken, and that is, at the end of meetings we're not leaving sufficient time to debate motions. I agree with that, but I disagree with the fact that we should therefore move all debate to the beginning of a meeting, particularly when we have witnesses here. We have witnesses we've called in. We've asked them to attend. They're prepared to give a presentation to us, and we're prepared to ask them questions, and yet a debate on any particular motion and on any particular amendment to the motion could go on for quite some time. I don't think that is showing proper respect to our witnesses.

We have an agenda here for a reason. We should follow our agenda and make sure that we leave sufficient time at the end of the meeting to be able to discuss committee business.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Mr. Cannan.