Evidence of meeting #8 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 countries.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Neil Reeder  Director General, Latin America and Caribbean, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Don McDougall  Deputy Lead, Mercosur Trade Discussions, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Susan Harper  Lead, Mercosur Trade Discussions, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

12:35 p.m.

Liberal

Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE

I feel the same way as Mr. Chisholm. We're seeing it happen at a lot of committees. The committee should be public. I think the steering committee of this committee should be meeting at least once a month. If we know that we are to deal with travel or funds related to travel, or something like that, then those are appropriate to talk about in the steering committee—and we should know about it before the meeting. But if we're dealing with motions that some of us have proposed, then they should be in the public arena where there's a full airing in public. That's where I'm at.

12:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

We hear you, but that's exactly what we'll be doing as we move into the session.

Monsieur Côté, you had something to say. We're discussing the motion.

12:35 p.m.

Liberal

Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE

The point there is, if we're dealing with travel, then I think a call to us or a steering committee meeting, where this has been outlined a little bit first, and then a report back to committee will make the committee function a lot more effectively.

12:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Okay.

Mr. Côté.

12:35 p.m.

NDP

Raymond Côté NDP Beauport—Limoilou, QC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I must say that I understand your position, as the chair, because I've had the opportunity a number of times to chair various organizations and, a few times, very large assemblies. I would still like to remind you that you still need a very good reason to justify going in camera. I remember very well that, in my many experiences as a chair, I would often stop the members gathered around the table to remember their responsibilities and I would ask them to justify their actions. There are 12 of us here who share the responsibility of making the decision to work openly in the public's interest. So I find it most appalling that we are going in camera so often.

12:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

We're soon going to bring this to a vote.

Mr. Keddy.

12:35 p.m.

Conservative

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

We will bring it to a vote, and I appreciate everyone's comments. I would concur with much that has been said here, but the point is that if every single motion brought to this committee is only an excuse to put out a press release, then we'll deal with them in camera.

12:40 p.m.

NDP

Robert Chisholm NDP Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS

What evidence do you have of that?

12:40 p.m.

Conservative

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

You have lots of opportunity to ask questions in the House. That's the place to put your questions.

12:40 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

We're not going to debate this forever. We have a motion before the chair.

12:40 p.m.

NDP

Robert Chisholm NDP Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS

Mr. Chair, if I may, I—

12:40 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

No, no, hold it. If you want to debate the motion, that's what we're going to do.

12:40 p.m.

NDP

Robert Chisholm NDP Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS

I do. I do.

12:40 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Go ahead. The floor is yours.

12:40 p.m.

NDP

Robert Chisholm NDP Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS

What do we have? One motion. I think there's been one motion, maybe two. I don't know. But--

12:40 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

We actually have three on the agenda today.

12:40 p.m.

NDP

Robert Chisholm NDP Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS

Yes, but that's how this committee operates. The one that Mr. Ravignat is going to make is a request for information. That's all it is. And that's a very public thing.

All I'm saying through you, Mr. Chairman, to the members of this committee is that I take my role as member and vice-chair of this committee seriously. And I want it to work. If all I'm trying to do is to embarrass you, as I said, I have other ways to do that. And I don't want to waste your time doing it. But if we keep playing these games, it's just going to continue to annoy me and frustrate us and our ability to get our work done. And I don't want that to happen. That's why I'm raising these objections.

12:40 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Fair enough.

Mr. Ravignat.

12:40 p.m.

NDP

Mathieu Ravignat NDP Pontiac, QC

I think it's a matter of transparency for the public. The public has the right to know what information we are asking for.

Obviously, I think if we had a committee that was working, that was in place, we could decide when it would be a good time to meet in camera. This is a discussion that the committee needs to have and, again, in my opinion, it's a basic matter of transparency.

12:40 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

We've had a full discussion on this. We have a motion on the floor to go in camera.

(Motion agreed to)

We will clear the room and move in camera.

[Proceedings continue in camera]