Evidence of meeting #6 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 negotiations.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Rachel Bendayan Liberal Outremont, QC
Again, I would suggest that it would certainly be of interest to me to hear from the minister and that delaying her appearance by a few days would only increase the utility of the meeting. I would suggest that we will have a document before us at that time, hopefully, and that, therefore, spending two hours with the minister in order to ask the questions that we have both on the document and on the procedures through the House would be entirely possible and appropriate.
Conservative
Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
Madam Chair, I'm wondering if we can call for the vote, both on the amendment and then on the motion.
Liberal
Liberal
Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
Sorry, but I didn't hear the subamendment clearly. Could Ms. Bendayan please repeat it?
Liberal
Rachel Bendayan Liberal Outremont, QC
Yes, I would be happy to. I want to thank my fellow member, who is—
Liberal
Liberal
Rachel Bendayan Liberal Outremont, QC
It is not a subamendment, but an amendment to Ms. Gray's motion. Basically, the idea is to have the committee meet with the minister before December 11 instead of December 4, as indicated in the motion. That would give us an opportunity to speak with the minister the week of December 7.
Conservative
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
Madam Chair, you were in the process of calling the vote before Mr. Fragiskatos had the floor.
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
I believe you were, because we were just looking for clarification on the vote. We were going to vote, I assume.
If he wants to filibuster in the finance committee, I suggest he go back to the finance committee instead of doing it here.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
No. I'm sorry, Mr. Hoback, it's not a point of order.
It was Ms. Gray who asked that we call the vote. When you still have speakers on the speakers list, you have to complete the list. That's the direction I get from our very able-bodied clerk.
We'll continue with Mr. Fragiskatos.
Would you please complete your comments.
Liberal
Peter Fragiskatos Liberal London North Centre, ON
Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
As for Mr. Hoback, I only wish him well. What can I say? I'm not trying to filibuster anything here. I'm simply bringing a perspective. I was saying that the committee needs to focus on the positive. We've heard much here today about the gains that are being made.
Ms. Bendayan's suggestion is one that I think is beyond reasonable, that is, to have a minister come in during the week of December 7.
What was originally proposed by the Conservative member whose name is not coming immediately to mind here—I apologize for that— was...I think December 4 was originally mentioned. Here, the week of December 7 is being mentioned.
The opposition is not wanting to bend at all on this. If the spirit of minority governments and parliaments is compromise, I would very humbly ask my opposition colleagues to entertain that compromise.
To address Mr. Blaikie's point—he has brought up the point of enabling legislation a number of times here—how can the committee itself meaningfully engage the minister without legislation already having been presented? It would be an exercise in optics on the part of the opposition, I think.
I'll leave it there, Madam Chair, in case someone else wishes to add something to the discussion.
