International Trade Committee on Dec. 13th, 2021

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Thank you, Mr. Savard-Tremblay.

I'm sorry. We have to make sure that Mr. Savard-Tremblay knows exactly what that motion was, possibly during the meeting.

Mr. Virani, would you ensure that Mr. Savard-Tremblay and his staff know exactly what the motion was so there are no misunderstandings, so that we move forward.

I'm ready to have a subcommittee meeting in 10 minutes. If the rest of the members of the subcommittee are ready, I'm ready.

I will speak with the members and the clerk and see how soon we can sit down and go over some of the suggestions that we have and go forward.

We have Mr. Arya, and then I think we can adjourn.

[Chandra Arya, Liberal, Nepean, ON]

I appreciate that you are eager to convene the meeting of the subcommittee. However, we need some time to submit some ideas. Otherwise, the subcommittee will be meeting to consider just one idea. That would not be fair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Of course not. There's no sense to having a meeting unless we have a few motions from the members. Once we have those motions in, and they are in both official languages, we can then call a meeting.

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Madam Chair, vis-à-vis the concern that was outlined by Monsieur Savard-Tremblay and what you just mentioned to me, perhaps it would be beneficial if the clerk read back what Mr. Hoback suggested 30 minutes ago so that it's clear for Monsieur Savard-Tremblay.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

She does not have it written down, Mr. Virani, so we would need you to read it.

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

I will do it to the best of my recollection.

Mr. Hoback is the one—

[Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

In the end, no one remembers the wording we voted on, do they?

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

This is all recorded, but the clerk did not take down the notes. The analysts and the clerks will have the exact wording that was referred to earlier.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

You just need to get it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

We just need to get it.

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

My recollection of what Mr. Hoback said was “to conduct a study on the Build Back Better bill and the impact it will have on the electric vehicle industry and manufacturing here in Canada” and report back to the House.

With all due respect, Madam Chair, I shouldn't be the only one who's writing down these things when they are happening in real time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Agreed, but today—

[Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

I understand. Still—

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

—is the first meeting of our new committee, and we all have to have a bit of extra patience with each other.

I think Mr. Lewis was—

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

In the interests of time and simplicity, perhaps the clerk can go back, or somebody can go back, through the video, capture that video clip, put it into both official languages and distribute it around the table—not right now, but at a later date when they get a chance—so that my colleague can see it for himself in both official languages.

I don't think it's something that needs to be—

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Yes. I agree.

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

—chatted about right now.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Okay.

[Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

It seems to me that there was nothing in the wording of the motion that presupposed that this was necessarily going to be the first item to be considered in January.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

It was made very clear that this was an urgent issue for the country at the moment. It's the hottest issue and needs immediate discussion by all of us.

That was the reason, and the motion was adopted.

[Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Madam Chair, does the motion state that it will be the first topic to be considered?

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

It was that we would deal with that immediately, if I remember, because it's an urgent issue. The committee understands that we adopted that motion with the intent of immediately moving forward on Mr. Sheehan's motion.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

It was assumed that—

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Everyone assumed the same thing.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Yes.