Evidence of meeting #32 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 vaccines.
A recording is available from Parliament.
1:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
The amendment of Mr. Savard-Tremblay carries.
Now we need a vote on the main motion moved by Ms. Gray, as amended. Can we get a show of hands?
Mr. Savard-Tremblay has a point of order.
1:30 p.m.
Bloc
Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Madam Chair, it's just that I thought Ms. Bendayan had an amendment as well.
Am I mistaken?
1:30 p.m.
Liberal
Rachel Bendayan Liberal Outremont, QC
I think the amendment I mentioned earlier is still relevant, even though the amendment we just adopted changes things a bit.
I had suggested that we study Bill C-216 before moving on to the softwood lumber study. Since certain dates have already been designated for the Bill C-216 study, I'm wondering whether the amendment still works.
Madam Chair, would you mind reminding us what we have on the schedule for next week? That will give us an idea of what's in store for the next few days.
1:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
At the moment, based on the direction I see us going in, on May 31 we have the draft reports on WTO and ISDS. On June 4, according to the motion, we are with Minister Ng and her officials on softwood trade. Then we would start Bill C-216 on June 7, June 11 and June 14.
That's what the committee has adopted so far, so that's where we are right now.
1:30 p.m.
Liberal
Rachel Bendayan Liberal Outremont, QC
Madam Chair, I don't think the committee voted on the motion of Ms. Gray.
1:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
No, we haven't. We still have to vote on that motion, which is what we were about to do—
1:30 p.m.
Liberal
Rachel Bendayan Liberal Outremont, QC
My question was with respect to the schedule of this committee for June 4 at the moment, which would not necessarily be softwood lumber until we—
1:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
No, it could be open to whatever the committee wants it to be if the committee votes down the main motion, so I'd like us to vote on this motion by Ms. Gray. If it carries, then June 4 is the last date of availability that's on the schedule that the minister could attend.
1:30 p.m.
Liberal
Rachel Bendayan Liberal Outremont, QC
I understand, but perhaps let me phrase it this way. Were we to continue our study for Mr. Sheehan on the environment and its impact on trade? Was that the original schedule for June 4?
1:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Yes, that was the plan prior to Ms. Gray's motion.
All right. I don't even know where to start.
Mr. Green, you don't have your hand up but I see you on the top of the screen—
1:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
There it is on the very side corner there, but it's a different colour from all the others, so I can barely see it.
1:30 p.m.
NDP
Matthew Green NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
As am I, so this is the beautiful thing about Zoom. I appreciate the equity and diversity and inclusion through technology.
1:35 p.m.
Liberal
1:35 p.m.
NDP
Matthew Green NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
I want to state that I share, in a non-partisan way, the confusion of many of the people on this committee, but I requested, if you recall, a full reading of the motion that is before us, so we know exactly what we're voting on.
1:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
We will have exactly that when we are ready to vote. I have to deal with—
1:35 p.m.
NDP
Matthew Green NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
Madam Chair, if I may, the challenge with that is that in order for me to decide whether I want to make an intervention based on the vote, I need to know what we're voting on. If you're going to read it out only at the time of the vote, it's too late.
For the purpose of this scheduling, I'm here on behalf of somebody else. I would just ask that you not rush through this meeting in this way and that you slow down a little and just provide us a chance to make sure that we're adequately representing the interests of the positions we want to take as MPs here.
1:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Mr. Green, just to make sure everybody is very clear, I am going to read out the motion Ms. Gray moved earlier.
Ms. Gray moved:
That the committee hold a meeting to invite the Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade and relevant government officials to discuss the United States Department of Commerce’s preliminary determinations increasing duties on Canadian softwood lumber exports from 8.99% to 18.32%; that the meeting be at least two hours in length; that the minister appear for no fewer than one hour and that appropriate government officials appear for no fewer than two hours; and that this meeting occur no later than June 4, 2021.
We will vote on that shortly, but next I have Mr. Dhaliwal and Mr. Hoback.
Mr. Dhaliwal.
May 28th, 2021 / 1:35 p.m.
Liberal
Sukh Dhaliwal Liberal Surrey—Newton, BC
Madam Chair, I've been through these committee meetings for many years, but not as many as you.
When we have a draft report going on, on the WTO, and then we have Bill C-216, we are saying we will be able to go through clause-by-clause on the 7th, 11th and 14th. I have seen that there is always some reason for it to take more than one meeting.
If we do that, I think we are jeopardizing everything. We might be jeopardizing the draft report on the WTO. We might be jeopardizing Bill C-216. If the intention is to make sure that we finish Bill C-216, then I would agree with the parliamentary secretary that we should have Bill C-216 scheduled right after May 31, after the draft WTO report. Even though I am from British Columbia and softwood lumber has always been near and dear to us, as my colleague, dear friend and brother Randeep said earlier, we have studied this in previous years and I have raised this time and time again.
I just want to make sure we don't jeopardize these two studies: Bill C-216 and the draft on the WTO. That's why I was thinking, why don't we just finish off the draft report on the WTO? When it's done, we start on Bill C-216, and when that's done, we go to Madam Gray's motion on softwood lumber?
Also, we'd jeopardize Terry Sheehan, of course. We'd just throw his issue out.
1:35 p.m.
Liberal
1:35 p.m.
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
Thank you, Chair.
First of all, now that we've done the amendment, we've actually fixed the dates for Bill C-216. If we don't pass the main motion, the amendment doesn't pass either, so then the dates are not fixed for Bill C-216 and that leaves it up in the air.
In regard to the minister's availability, you've made it very clear that the clerk has talked to the minister and she has made very clear the only days that she can be there, so it does dictate the schedule in regard—
1:35 p.m.
Bloc
Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
I have a point of order, Madam Chair.
I thought we had agreed that members would turn on their cameras when they were speaking.