International Trade Committee on March 10th, 2009

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

And the current...that's right. Okay, very good.

I think, then, we have to limit it to that, and leave it to the clerk to get witnesses. We will take note that Mr. Julian has specifically requested Équiterre and the City of Montreal. Other than that, please submit your list to the clerk. The clerk will determine whom we get to.

We will go with one meeting on that matter. If it needs to be...the committee will so determine thereafter. This meeting will be on March 24.

Mr. Julian, are you okay with that?

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

Well, I think I understood the wording. Did you mention Équiterre and the City of Montreal?

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

No, I didn't; I mentioned it following. I just said that it was an interest to get those two specifically, Équiterre and the City of Montreal. I would rather not put any witnesses in the motion, but I certainly have given direction to the clerk to add those two specifically.

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

I'll accept that as a friendly amendment from you, Mr. Chair. We can go to the vote.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Good.

I think everybody has the content. Do I need to read it again?

No? All right.

(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

We have such unanimity today. It's just lovely.

Now I go to Mr. Silva. He was moving acceptance of the draft committee's schedule as amended.

[Mario Silva, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Chair, on the travel to Washington April 20 to April 24, Mr. Brison has mentioned the fact that on the 24th, which is a Friday, it's very hard to get meetings. So maybe we can do it from the 20th to the 23rd. That's just a minor amendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

We don't have time to discuss it now, and this is again a draft, but the sense was that we would probably have to leave Ottawa on the Sunday or meet in Washington on the Sunday evening and maybe have the first briefing on the Sunday evening.

[Mario Silva, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

I'll adopt it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Go Monday and Tuesday, returning Tuesday night.

[Mario Silva, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

I'll adopt the agenda.

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

All right. We may not have time to get through.

Mr. Julian.

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

I just want to address this question to the parliamentary secretary through you, Mr. Chair.

Canada-Colombia, Canada-Peru: is the assumption that those agreements would not be coming forward this spring?

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

No, that's not the assumption.

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

So it's possible they would be coming forward; there would have to be committee consideration of those agreements.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

They are not on the agenda at this time.

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

No, I understand that, but I think that's helpful. I think, then, the issue of Canada-Brazil is something that is less certain. If there is potential for these agreements to come forward, I certainly would not feel comfortable undertaking a new study if we have those agreements, witnesses, and, I think, some considerable committee deliberations on those issues.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

I agree.

If I could just follow up on Mr. Silva's motion, this is just kind of a rough outline as to what we know now. We have to get proceeding. I think we have a pretty good consensus. None of this is chipped in stone, and that's why I've left it as a draft. I just wanted some direction from the committee.

So with Mr. Julian's comments, can I ask for acceptance of Mr. Silva's motion?

(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

Thank you.

This meeting is adjourned.