International Trade Committee on Oct. 25th, 2011

[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.

[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.

[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.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

Okay.

Mr. Côté.

[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.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

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

Mr. Keddy.

[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.

[Robert Chisholm, NDP, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

What evidence do you have of that?

[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.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

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

[Robert Chisholm, NDP, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Mr. Chair, if I may, I—

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

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

[Robert Chisholm, NDP, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

I do. I do.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

Go ahead. The floor is yours.

[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--

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

We actually have three on the agenda today.

[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.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

Fair enough.

Mr. Ravignat.

[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.

[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]