Right.
Evidence of meeting #1 for International Trade in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was clerk.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #1 for International Trade in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was clerk.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
—and a member from the other opposition party. In this case that would be —
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
Brian Pallister Conservative Portage—Lisgar, MB
Essentially, it would be the chair and the vice-chairs, so it would end up with two Conservatives, two Liberals, one Bloc, one NDP.
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
November 15th, 2007 / 3:45 p.m.
Liberal
John Maloney Liberal Welland, ON
Mr. Chair, the parliamentary secretary represents the government and represents the minister. I take exception to him or her being on the steering committee, so I would oppose the motion.
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
Brian Pallister Conservative Portage—Lisgar, MB
I would have to remark that this hasn't been the Liberal Party's position; it certainly wasn't last year in the Standing Committee on Finance. One year before, when the Liberals were in power, it wasn't their position. I have to make that observation. The parliamentary secretary was on the steering committee.
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
Okay. You can make that observation when the chair recognizes you, Mr. Pallister.
Monsieur Cardin.
3:45 p.m.
Bloc
Serge Cardin Bloc Sherbrooke, QC
Mr. Chairman, I would like to keep the same wording that we had last year for the previous committee.
The motion clearly states that the committee shall elect a Chair, who shall be a Member of the government party, two Vice-Chairs, one of whom is a Liberal and the other a Bloc Member, and a Member of the other opposition party, potentially an NDP Member. Keeping the same wording ensures that the four parties are represented. Thus we can hope that discussions in committee are less protracted if all parties are already aware of what has been discussed and of what is going on.
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
Larry Miller Conservative Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON
Yes.
I don't want to waste a lot of time on this, but if this amendment were to pass, this in no way puts the opposition parties at a disadvantage. They're still outnumbered. It lets the chairman do his job; it's as simple as that. So I speak in favour of the motion.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
I see.
Mr. Miller takes it that the chairman is neutral, so we would not have a Conservative Party representative at the subcommittee. Nice point.
Mr. Masse.
3:50 p.m.
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
What I found in the other committees I've been part of is if the subcommittee becomes too large it almost defeats the sense of the subcommittee. So I'm opposed to this as well. Although I appreciate the suggestion, I can't support it.
(Amendment negatived)
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
Is there any further discussion on the main motion?
Mr. Cannan.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
I'd like to comment, Mr. Chair.
Last time, the subcommittee actually didn't work. We ended up having a committee of the whole. Hopefully, it will be a little bit more functional this time.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
The motion is to accept the subcommittee as was distributed by the clerk.
(Motion agreed to)
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
We are now on reduced quorum: that the chair be authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence and to have that evidence printed when a quorum is not present, provided that at least three members are present, including one member of the opposition, and if no member of the opposition is present ten minutes after the designated start of the meeting, the meeting may proceed.
The motion is moved by Mr. Maloney.
That's pretty routine and usual. Is there any discussion?
Yes, Mr. Allison.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Dean Allison Conservative Niagara West—Glanbrook, ON
I'm once again drawing from my experience in another committee. I know that when we were out of town for the human rights committee it was difficult sometimes to get quorum to hear witnesses. So I'd like to add to it that should we be outside the parliamentary precinct the committee not be required to wait any more than 15 minutes before it can receive evidence and hear witnesses. That would be my suggestion.
When we were in Montreal we were not able to hear witnesses as a result of having only half of our committee travelling and not having all the members there at the time. Leave it the way it is, but when we're off the parliamentary precincts I would recommend that we would be able to hear witnesses, and that we start after 15 minutes if we don't have a quorum to hear the witnesses.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
The clerk has just brought to my attention here a draft clause. Let me read it out, because I think it may capture what you're trying to achieve.
In the case of previously scheduled meetings taking place outside the parliamentary precinct, the committee members in attendance shall only be required to wait for 15 minutes following the designated start of the meeting before they may proceed to hear witnesses and receive evidence, regardless of whether opposition or government members are present.
Is that what you had in mind?
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
