Evidence of meeting #1 for International Trade in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Clerk of the Committee  Mr. Paul Cardegna
Alexandre Gauthier  Committee Researcher

12:20 p.m.

Conservative

Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC

I was just looking at the proposed wording and I have a slight change at the end, because in our past experience we had to look at bringing in some House officers.

It reads that in addition, each party shall be permitted to have one staff member from a House officer attend in camera meetings.

12:20 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Are you moving that as an amendment?

12:20 p.m.

Conservative

Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC

Yes.

12:20 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Is everyone clear on the amendment?

Just repeat that again, please.

12:20 p.m.

Conservative

Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC

Sure.

The wording you have in front of you says, in the last sentence, that in addition, each party shall be permitted to have one staff member from a House officer attend in camera meetings.

12:20 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Okay. I don't see a lot of debate here.

(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

Now we're talking about in camera meetings transcripts. Are we to entertain a motion?

Mr. Easter moves as presented. It looks as if there's some confusion here as well. Which one are you presenting?

12:20 p.m.

Liberal

Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE

It's that in camera meetings be transcribed and that the transcription be kept with the clerk of the committee for later consultation by members of the committee.

12:20 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Are we all good?

12:20 p.m.

An hon. member

Or by their staff?

12:20 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

No.

Mr. Cannan

12:20 p.m.

Conservative

Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC

By members of Parliament, instead of members of the committee?

12:20 p.m.

Liberal

Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE

I think it should be members of the committee because it was an in camera meeting of members of the committee—

12:20 p.m.

Conservative

Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC

All MPs are ex-officio to committees anyway.

12:20 p.m.

Liberal

Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE

They are, but I don't know why anyone else who wasn't at the meeting would want to see what's in there. If there's a leak from a committee, it's those who were at the committee.

12:20 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Let's just do this through the chair.

I think what is being presented, and the clerk is saying that this would include all 308 members if it was that—

12:20 p.m.

Liberal

Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE

Mr. Chair, what I'm saying is that the motion I presented says “for later consultation by members of the committee”. That's only the members of the committee. It's not staff; only members of the committee.

12:20 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Okay.

(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

Notice of motions.

Are you going to entertain a motion, Mr. Cannan?

12:20 p.m.

Conservative

Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC

The wording we have, and then I have to ask for the committee to clarify it, is this: that 48 hours’ notice shall be required for any substantive motion to be considered by the committee, and that the motion shall be filed and distributed to members by the clerk in both official languages. Completed motions that are received by close of business day shall be distributed to members the same day.

I'd like to confirm with the committee that the House rule normally is two sleeps, or 48 hours. As the close of business, do you want to put in 5 p.m. or 6 p.m.?

12:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Normal closing is 6 p.m. Is that what you're saying?

12:25 p.m.

The Clerk

Six p.m. is the last time when you can submit a notice into the House for the next day, the notice period. Some committees have adopted 4 o'clock because it allows time for translation and then we can send it the same day.

12:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

At 4 o'clock.

Mr. Hiebert.

June 23rd, 2011 / 12:25 p.m.

Conservative

Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC

I would just want there to be a situation where if notice were given there would be time for the clerk to receive notice, confirm notice was received, and notify other members the day it was received.

Does 4 o'clock give you enough time to get back to everybody, so we know Tuesday and not wake up Wednesday with this on our...?

12:25 p.m.

The Clerk

If you submit it before 4 o'clock Tuesday, it should be sent to members before Wednesday morning, in the sense that before I leave on Tuesday I should send it out.

12:25 p.m.

Conservative

Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC

Make sure you give enough time to do that.

12:25 p.m.

The Clerk

If it's 4 o'clock, we'll have time for translation and distribution.