Evidence of meeting #20 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 treaties.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Is there any discussion on the motion? I have allocated 10 minutes for these two motions.
Ms. Bendayan.
Liberal
Rachel Bendayan Liberal Outremont, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll be very quick.
Thank you, Mr. Savard-Tremblay.
I completely agree. It seems to me that this is already the case, in practice. Nevertheless, I am prepared to vote in favour of your motion in order to formalize everything.
Conservative
Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
We need to look at this from a practical and functional point of view. It may not always work to have everything go through the translation bureau. It's been consistent at another committee to add in some other ways of translation. I believe this has been approved at one other committee.
I would add an amendment to also add “an MP's office or a party research group" if that would be the wording?
To fully restrict it to just the translation bureau, the timeline for turnaround may not always work, and there are fully capable people within the various political parties in MP offices.
Liberal
Rachel Bendayan Liberal Outremont, QC
I would like to hear Mr. Savard-Tremblay's comments on the proposed amendment. It does not seem necessary to me, but I would still like to find out what the person who introduced the motion thinks.
Bloc
Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
I am thinking about the ins and outs. This is an amendment we could deal with, I think, but the original form seems more appropriate to me concerning the Translation Bureau.
Ms. Gray, could you propose specific wording, so that we would be sure to correctly understand each word and its importance in the motion?
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
On the special committee for Canada-U.S., we actually put this amendment through. It didn't jam up the committee, so we could proceed with doing things quickly, yet it still provided the resources that the Bloc party, or anybody speaking French, required to get the appropriate documentation to them in a timely manner. It was a good compromise in that committee. It seems to be working well there. It might be something that we can also do here.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Mr. Savard-Tremblay, are we okay going forth with your motion as amended, or did you want Mrs. Gray to clarify?
Bloc
Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
I would like to get a clarification on the wording please.
The Clerk of the Committee Ms. Christine Lafrance
It would add “an MP's office or a party research group” after the “federal department”.
It reads as follows:
That all documents submitted for committee business that do not come from a federal department, an MP's office or a party's research office, or that have not been translated by the Translation Bureau be sent for prior linguistic review by the Translation Bureau before being distributed to members.
Conservative
The Clerk
That all documents submitted for committee business that do not come from a federal department, an MP's office or a party research group or that have not been translated by the Translation Bureau be sent for prior linguistic review by the Translation Bureau before being distributed to members.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
All those in favour of the motion as amended?
(Motion agreed to)
We'll go back to Mr. Savard-Tremblay on the other motion.
Bloc
Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Yes, it reads as follows:
That the clerk inform each witness who is to appear before the committee that the House Administration support team must conduct technical tests to check the connectivity and the equipment used to ensure the best possible sound quality; and that the Chair advise the committee, at the start of each meeting, of any witness who did not perform the required technical tests.
Liberal
Conservative
Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
We think that this is a good idea; it's good protocol.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Is there any further discussion?
(Motion agreed to)
Thank you, all, very much.
Have a good week, and we'll connect Friday, if not before.
The meeting is adjourned.