Evidence of meeting #22 for Justice and Human Rights in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was police.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
NDP
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
Okay, the idea is that March 8 is there.
I'm saying that because our committee is a deliberative committee. We're asked to consider the legislation and we want to have an opportunity to take seriously the representations that have been made and to discuss them with the officials. As we said in the House and have said here, this is highly technical legislation that is making significant changes, and we want to make sure that if we're doing this, we're going to get it as right as we can. So we don't think rushing through clause-by-clause, if there is an opportunity to consider and potentially come forward with amendments, is what we want to be seen to be doing.
I agree with the schedule as proposed, with the caveat that I don't want to be here on March 6 and after an hour have a motion, as we've just had now, to go immediately to clause-by-clause. Let me tell you, we may spend the next hour debating whether we should be going to clause-by-clause. I don't want to do that. I want to have an understanding that we may want to reflect on the response we get from the officials, and we may want to have an opportunity to go through the process and have amendments and have them translated, etc., for the Thursday meeting.
On that understanding, I'm prepared to accept that.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Dave MacKenzie
That's exactly what the clerk has. You would have the Thursday, March 8, available to you.
NDP
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
I don't know what the clerk has. I'm just saying that I want on the record that this is my understanding of what we're agreeing to.
Conservative
Robert Goguen Conservative Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB
Well, we're saying the same thing. That's what I said when we met before. That's what I'm saying now, and that's what the clerk has transcribed. It may go to March 6. It may go to March 8 to afford you the occasion to look at it. We're taking our time, as you requested.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Dave MacKenzie
So that everybody understands when you vote on this, this Thursday we have witnesses coming. Next Tuesday we have the officials. We may have time for clause-by-clause, but if we don't, you have Thursday, March 8, for clause-by-clause.
Conservative
Robert Goguen Conservative Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB
And perhaps we can do organized crime, depending on whether we have the time. We may not, but it's been pending since 2006.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Dave MacKenzie
The analysts tell me that they would be prepared for that by March 8.
NDP
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
May I ask a question about that? Will they be prepared by March 8, or will we have it in advance so that we can read it before March 8? If we can't--
Dominique Valiquet Committee Researcher
At the latest, we would send it to you by next Tuesday, March 6, in the afternoon.
NDP
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
We may have it two days before March 8.
I'm not anticipating any huge changes. Perhaps in preparing the report the differences between it and the previous report could be outlined so that we know what's new. If we have that on March 6, we may be able to deal with it on March 8, whether we do clause-by-clause or not. I'm suggesting that it may be straightforward if the proposed amendments are consistent with what we have. If it can't be done, it can't be done. Regardless, it's a tentative schedule.
Conservative
Robert Goguen Conservative Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB
It will depend on the clause-by-clause being completed on March 8. If not, we'll have to schedule it some other time, but it would be important--
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Dave MacKenzie
The minister will be here on March 13 for supplementary estimates.
Conservative
Robert Goguen Conservative Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB
It would be important, as Mr. Harris has indicated, to highlight the changes, because that makes the reading far easier.
Thank you.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Dave MacKenzie
Then Bill C-310 is on March 15. We need to know witnesses so that the clerk can bring the witnesses.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Dave MacKenzie
Presumably that will include the sponsor and any other witnesses. The list will be provided to the clerk.
Conservative
Robert Goguen Conservative Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB
Do you have a scheduled time you'd like the witness names, to give you enough time? Would it be March 12?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Dave MacKenzie
He has to contact them. I would suspect that the sponsor of the bill knows the witnesses.
NDP
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
We may even have one or two. We'll get them to you as soon as possible. It will be March 12 at the latest.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Dave MacKenzie
Having heard the schedule, do we have an agreement that this is the schedule we'll have?
Okay. The clerk has it.
Seeing no further business, the meeting is adjourned.