Evidence of meeting #1 for International Trade in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
You know, if we're going to deal with this later on, then I'll deal with it later on. I'll turn my time over to Ms. Gray.
Conservative
Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
Madam Chair, I was going to say that we are going down the road of starting to debate whether or not we should be discussing some of the motions. I was just going to divert us from that and move forward.
I do have an actual motion, although I don't know if we would call it as structured as that, with respect to getting the minister in. Would it be okay if I read that? Maybe that's what we could bounce this conversation off, just so we have on the record exactly what we're looking for and maybe not think of it as one of these big studies, per se, like a lot of these other ones that we're talking about.
I do have something structured, if you'd like me to read that. Then it's on the record and we can maybe move forward.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Just let me clarify that. I think it's pretty natural that at the first meeting, you invite the minister and you do your estimates anyway. As to whether we need an motion or whatever, I have to go back to Madam Clerk.
Can Ms. Gray read that motion into the record to invite the minister, etc., which we talked about? Does she have to give additional time or does she need unanimous consent to do that today?
The Clerk
No, it's up to the committee to decide how it wants to deal with Ms. Gray's motion.
I just want to underline the fact that in studying the main estimates, there's a provision in the Standing Orders, which I don't have off the top of my head, but I think it's Standing Order 81(4) or something. I don't know if she wants to put that in her motion.
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Yes, exactly. I think we have to have it done by the 25th of November or whatever.
Does the committee wish for Ms. Gray to read out a specific motion inviting the minister to come to committee and to deal with the main estimates, or is there unanimous agreement that we do that?
Liberal
Rachel Bendayan Liberal Outremont, QC
I think all committee members agree on this, so I don't see it as being necessary.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Is everyone in favour of inviting the minister and dealing with the main estimates at our next meeting? As Mr. Blaikie so nicely pointed out, everyone can submit their thoughts and ideas on the studies that you think would be good for us to do, and then we will also have time to discuss all of those and prioritize them, as we have done in previous committees. Is everyone in favour of that?
Liberal
Conservative
Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Just for clarification, I want to know the amount of time for the minister, because I know that sometimes ministers can be very busy. When they have come before committees, they have had very limited time. We just want to make sure that we have a thorough conversation and that all members will have enough time to ask questions. I'd like to ensure that we have a minimum of two hours, which I think is kind of normal, but I just wanted to make sure that it wasn't quick, that we weren't just inviting the minister and would have that amount of time for our normal course of questioning.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Usually the minister will come, and if she or he can be here for two hours, great. If not, it's one hour, and then the officials would sometimes remain. We've been quite fortunate to have the ministers come and stay for quite a while, because most of the issues we are dealing with are fairly complex.
Conservative
Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Let me just add that I do want to be really clear that we will have two hours, because, again, this committee has only sat once since March, so we're not a committee that has had the normal course of ministers coming and presenting. It has been quite a long time, so I would like clarification that we would have the minister for that whole time, especially for the first meeting, since it's been such a long time.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
I think it's subject to the availability of the minister, but we will make the request that she be with us for two hours. If her schedule allows for it, I am sure she will be amenable to being here.
Is there any further discussion that we need to have? No?
The meeting is adjourned.
