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.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Clerk of the Committee  Mr. Paul Cardegna
Cameron MacKay  Director General, China Trade Policy Bureau, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Pierre Bouchard  Director, Bilateral and Regional Labour Affairs, Department of Human Resources and Skills Development
Alain Castonguay  Senior Chief, Tax Treaties, Tax Policy Branch, Department of Finance
Jochen Tilk  President and Chief Executive Officer, Inmet Mining Corporation
Michael Harvey  President, Canadian Council for the Americas

3:45 p.m.

NDP

Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC

I'll just say a couple of things. I know we're in a technical part here because of the election of chairs, but obviously we were constituted well enough to continue to proceed with contacting witnesses and scheduling them. If we can do that, we can certainly let the parliamentarians know.

I have a suggestion, though, that might break through this. I'm going to reiterate, though, that if you want to talk about fair, there's nothing more unfair to a questioner than to drop a witness on that person with two minutes' notice and say, “Question them”. If this were any kind of quasi-judicial or legal proceeding, it would be absolutely tossed out immediately.

We're Parliament. We make laws. I would think that giving people some advance notice of who they're about to question is just simply part of natural justice. However, what we can do—

3:45 p.m.

Conservative

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

A point—

3:45 p.m.

NDP

Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC

Excuse me, Mr. Keddy. I have the floor.

3:50 p.m.

Conservative

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

On a point of order—

3:50 p.m.

NDP

Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC

I have the floor.

3:50 p.m.

Conservative

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

I mean, come on—

3:50 p.m.

NDP

Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC

I have the floor.

3:50 p.m.

Conservative

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

There's no debate about not getting witnesses—

3:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Hang on. Let's let him finish.

Go ahead.

3:50 p.m.

NDP

Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC

Thank you.

What we can do is.... The main thing is that I want the ministry officials for a meeting. If the solution here is to call the ministry officials back for the equivalent of a meeting, then that's one way out, but I am not going to say that to talk to the ministry officials for 45 minutes is sufficient on this trade deal.

3:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Okay. Let me try this.

Is that fair enough? To bring the officials back if needed—

3:50 p.m.

A voice

Yes.

3:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

—for another part of a meeting...?

3:50 p.m.

A voice

Yes.

3:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Does that satisfy you, then?

3:50 p.m.

NDP

Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC

For the equivalent of one meeting?

3:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Well, it would be the equivalent of another hour, right?

3:50 p.m.

A voice

Yes.

3:50 p.m.

Conservative

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

An hour and a half if we completely lose this one....

3:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Yes. I don't think there's resistance there, from what I'm hearing. Is that fair ball?

3:50 p.m.

Conservative

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

That's great rhetoric—

3:50 p.m.

NDP

Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC

It's not rhetoric, it's substance.

3:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Do you want to drop your motion, or...?

3:50 p.m.

NDP

Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC

No, I want my motion voted on, please.

3:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Are we clear on the motion?