International Trade Committee on Jan. 29th, 2020

[The Clerk of the Committee, Ms. Christine Lafrance]

Welcome to the Standing Committee on International Trade. I'm ready to proceed with the election of the chair. I have a script, which I will follow.

I see 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, nor 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 chair.

[Sukh Dhaliwal, Liberal, Surrey—Newton, BC]

I propose that Judy Sgro be the chair.

[The Clerk]

Are there any further motions?

(Motion agreed to)

I declare the motion carried and Ms. Sgro the duly elected chair of the committee.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[The Chair (Hon. Judy A. Sgro (Humber River—Black Creek, Lib.)), Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Thank you very much.

I'll just take one minute to thank all of you. I very much appreciate this honour. I can assure you that we will be respectful of each other all the time. If we're not, we'll just adjourn the meeting, because I think we need to be respectful of each other. We're all here as elected officials and we have a great opportunity to make a difference in our country.

I thank you for your trust. I'm excited to get started.

Does the committee wish to proceed at this time with the election of the vice-chairs?

Mr. Blaikie.

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll start by saying congratulations on your election as chair. I look forward to working with you.

My understanding is that there may be some negotiations happening at PROC or elsewhere about the number of vice-chairs, and that it might be advisable to delay the election of the vice-chairs until next week. I would ask that you test the committee on that question. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Is everybody in agreement with that?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

We'll delay the election of the vice-chairs until our meeting on Monday.

Thank you.

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Outremont, QC]

Madam Chair, may I move to other motions at this time?

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Is the committee ready to do some routine motions?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Outremont, QC]

I believe the clerk has received copies for the members.

Madam Chair, I propose the following routine motions, further to discussion among the whips' offices of all parties. I will go through them one by one.

First, regarding the analysts, I propose the following:

That the Committee retain, as needed and at the discretion of the Chair, the services of one or more analysts from the Library of Parliament to assist it in its work.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Is everyone okay with that?

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

For clarification, are we starting off with the...?

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Outremont, QC]

It's in respect of analysts. If you like, I can repeat it.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Yes, please. I didn't have translation the first time.

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Outremont, QC]

In respect of analysts, I move that this committee retain, as needed and at the discretion of the chair, the services of one or more analysts from the Library of Parliament to assist in its work.

(Motion agreed to)

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Outremont, QC]

In respect of the creation of a subcommittee on agenda and procedure, I move that the subcommittee on agenda and procedure be established and be composed of five members: the Chair and one member from each party; and that the subcommittee work in a spirit of collaboration.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Can I speak to that?

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Go ahead, Mr. Hoback.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

I'm not going live or die by this, but I know that historically in this committee we've never had a subcommittee. We've just always done things in committee. That way, everybody was involved, and it didn't take away any of the committee time to have a subcommittee meeting. I really don't think we need a subcommittee in this case. I will take the lead from everybody else in the committee. Historically, though, there hasn't been the need for one.

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

My experience is similar to Mr. Hoback's, but I've also been on committees that have established a subcommittee. I think it might be useful to establish the subcommittee with this motion, and if the committee chooses not to use the subcommittee for that purpose, then that's a decision that the committee can make later. It might be useful to have it at our disposal, if that's how the committee prefers to work.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Are there any further comments?

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

As you said, I'm okay with what—