Evidence of meeting #46 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 witnesses.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:35 p.m.
The Clerk of the Committee Mr. Paul Cardegna
Honourable members of the committee, I see there is a quorum.
I must inform members that the clerk of the committee can only receive motions for the election of the chair. The clerk cannot receive other types of motions, cannot entertain points of order, and cannot participate in debate.
We can now proceed to the election of the chair. Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the chair must be a member of the government party.
I am ready to receive motions for the election of the chair.
3:35 p.m.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Mr. Clerk, I would like to nominate the Honourable Rob Merrifield to be chair of the committee.
3:35 p.m.
The Clerk
Mr. Davies has moved that Mr. Merrifield be chair of the committee.
Are there any other nominations for the position of chair? I see none.
Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?
(Motion agreed to)
The motion is agreed to. I declare Mr. Merrifield duly elected chair of the committee.
3:35 p.m.
Some hon. members
Hear, hear!
3:35 p.m.
The Clerk
Before inviting you take your chair, I will ask the committee if it is the desire of the committee to proceed to the election of the vice-chairs at this time.
3:35 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
3:35 p.m.
The Clerk
All right, we will proceed to the election of the vice-chairs. Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the first vice-chair must be a member of the official opposition. I am now ready to receive motions for the position of first vice-chair.
3:35 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Holder Conservative London West, ON
Mr. Chair, I would be honoured to place a nomination in the name of the venerable Don Davies.
3:35 p.m.
The Clerk
Mr. Holder has moved that Mr. Davies be the first vice-chair of the committee.
Are there any other nominations for the position of first vice-chair? I see none.
Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?
(Motion agreed to)
I declare Mr. Davies elected as first vice-chair of the committee.
Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the second vice-chair must be a member of an opposition party other than the official opposition.
I am now prepared to receive a motion for the position of second vice-chair.
3:35 p.m.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Thank you, Mr. Clerk. I would like to nominate the Honourable Wayne Easter to be the second vice-chair of the committee.
3:35 p.m.
The Clerk
Mr. Davies has nominated Wayne Easter for the position of second vice-chair. Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?
(Motion agreed to)
It is agreed, and I declare Mr. Easter elected second vice-chair.
3:35 p.m.
Some hon. members
Hear, hear!
3:35 p.m.
The Clerk
I will now invite Mr. Merrifield, the chair, to take his seat.
Thank you.
3:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
I want to thank committee members for their confidence, especially the confidence of the opposition when it comes to the support we get as chair.
We will now move, pursuant to the motion last week, to the Panama free trade agreement, and we'll ask the department officials to come forward. We have them here for the first hour of debate. We ask those who are presenting to take their seats. We'd like to have them at the table.
While they are doing that, I'd like to ask the committee to entertain a motion with regard to a budget. Does the committee have the budget?
We would entertain a motion. This budget is $14,700. It's for witnesses coming forward to complete this study.
Go ahead, Mr. Easter.
3:40 p.m.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Mr. Chair, while the witnesses are coming forward from the department, are department officials the only witnesses during this—
3:40 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
No. We have them for the first hour. During the second hour we have two witnesses. One is the Canadian Council for the Americas, represented by Michael Harvey, president; the other is Inmet Mining Corporation, represented by Mr. Tilk.
3:40 p.m.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
My point, Mr. Chair, is that in terms of our own research for witnesses, it is pretty difficult when we, as members of the committee, don't know. We did assume that the department would be here, and we had asked for that previously, but it makes it really difficult for us to be able to question witnesses appropriately when we don't know in advance of the meeting who the witnesses are.
In any event, I have another commitment at 4:45 on a trade issue, but I think it is wrong for us to just drop them in. Then we're at somewhat of a loss with regard to the kinds of questions we should ask certain witnesses. I don't think it is appropriate.
3:40 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
I understand what you're saying.
Just to explain to the committee why it happened the way it has, our motion last week said that we would be studying Panama at this meeting. We couldn't really give the notice of who the witnesses would be, although they have come off the lists that we had encouraged all of you to submit. The clerk had invited every member of the committee three different times to bring a witness list forward, and these are just members that we could get to come. It's because we have a limited time to be able to get this done. I understand what you're saying, but I'm hoping that we'll hear their presentations and be able to question them appropriately on the issues.
Go ahead, Mr. Davies.
3:40 p.m.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I'm content to deal with the budget first, but I want to pick up Mr. Easter's point. It's a point I was going to make too, after we dealt with the budget, but since he has raised it—
3:40 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
Let's make the motion on the budget, and then we'll go into that. First of all we need to entertain a motion to approve the budget.
3:40 p.m.
Conservative
3:40 p.m.
Conservative
Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
Do we anticipate only one video conference witness, or do we extend that offer to anybody?
