International Trade Committee on Feb. 26th, 2009

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

Mr. Chair, thank you for holding that vote. We have witnesses who were both on the Liberal list and the NDP list who have said they're available and are coming to Ottawa on Tuesday morning. Might I suggest, given the motion the parliamentary secretary put through, that we hear from them on Tuesday morning, that we take the time to have those discussions, and then in keeping with the motion we move to clause-by-clause. That would allow those individuals to speak to the motion.

I should say that if we go to clause-by-clause and the carve-out is achieved on Bill C-2, that would mean the Conservatives could not filibuster this bill. In a sense they are handcuffing themselves, but I'm comfortable with that. I believe we should be respecting people who have already indicated they want to come before this committee and people whom both the Liberals and the NDP have submitted to come before this committee for Bill C-2.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

I appreciate the interest of many people. Obviously, over time, we have had many people who wished to appear before the committee. In fact, many people, including some of those you suggest would like to appear again on Tuesday, have appeared before the committee on the EFTA free trade agreement.

This bill is an implementation bill, and it may be that such testimony will be redundant in this case. In any event, we did receive from all parties their lists of potential witnesses. We went to great lengths to contact those witnesses. The clerk's office did extend invitations to several, including to some of those you said wished to appear on Tuesday. They weren't available to appear at the time the committee was dealing with this matter and hearing witnesses. So we proceeded in the manner that we have done, and today was a day for witnesses.

It was the will of the committee to hear from the Minister of Industry and the Minister of Agriculture, so this day was dedicated to them. Unfortunately, we've not been able to hear from the Department of Agriculture because of procedural matters that delayed us.

We do have a motion to deal with and to complete the clause-by-clause Bill C-2 consideration by the end of business on Tuesday.

I guess the only thing I would suggest, if you want some latitude, Mr. Julian, is that our purpose here is to get on with the business of the committee. We have, I think, in fairness, heard from these witnesses. We've heard from them before. We can certainly hear from them again. I think we have heard their testimony, as I say. We do want to get on with the bill. The business of the committee is to pass the bill. The will of the committee is to do this on Tuesday.

I'm sorry that we didn't have them here today, but I think the motion has been carried. If you could guarantee me that we could complete clause-by-clause consideration of the bill in less than the full two hours, then that time could be used, I'm sure, to accommodate witnesses. But I would have to have an assurance that we could complete the bill by the end of Tuesday.

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

Well, Mr. Chair, is the NDP the only party that submitted amendments?

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Yes.

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

Then, Mr. Chair, you can have that assurance from me.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Okay, so we—

[Gerald Keddy, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margaret's, NS]

Mr. Chair, we've got a motion, but we just keep going around and around here. I don't know if there's a place in the rules to sanction members who are simply trying to delay the process on a continuing and regular basis. I mean, sooner or later....

We have a motion, we voted on it, and we went back and voted on it again, and voted on it a third time—

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

We're running out of time again. I don't wish to limit debate here. These are points of order, but I think our motion is that we complete clause-by-clause consideration on Tuesday. I'm trying to accommodate the committee and everybody's opportunity to participate. If we have the agreement of the committee, and I believe we have its consent and agreement, and we have the word of Mr. Julian that we will complete clause-by-clause on Tuesday....

That was to be my understanding, was it not, Mr. Julian?

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

Yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Yes, it is. Then frankly, I think we could probably give the first hour to hearing the remaining witnesses, with the concurrence of the committee and agreement that we are going to complete the clause-by-clause.

[Gerald Keddy, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margaret's, NS]

We need some clarification.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Excuse me, Mr. Keddy.

We also have the outstanding matter of the witness who has been sitting here patiently throughout the day, and I wonder if it is the will of the committee to have the Department of Agriculture and the parliamentary secretary come back on Tuesday and also appear with the witnesses that Mr. Julian wants to bring.

I'm at the will of the committee. Again, we are out of time. What's the will of the committee?

[Mario Silva, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

It seems reasonable, Mr. Chair.

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture]

Chair, I won't be available on Tuesday. I'm actually off the Hill on Tuesday.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Well, that solves that problem. Thank you very much.

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

That's your prerogative; I'm just letting you know my schedule.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Mr. Keddy, are you...?

[Gerald Keddy, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margaret's, NS]

My only point, Mr. Chair, is that these witnesses have already been heard at this committee during the discussion of this bill. They would be coming back—

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Mr. Keddy, do you have a point to make?

[Gerald Keddy, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margaret's, NS]

Yes, that's the point. So it's not as though a lot of witnesses haven't been heard.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Okay, fine. The point has been heard and taken. We have also heard that those witnesses spoke on the free trade agreement, but did not speak on the bill.

In any event, I think we have consensus here. I want to try to maintain some cooperation and coordination in the committee.

I thank everyone for their participation today. My apologies to Monsieur Lemieux, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture. And I thank the committee for its cooperation today.

The meeting is adjourned.