Evidence of meeting #57 for National Defence in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was ministers.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Clerk of the Committee  Mr. Andrew Chaplin

June 5th, 2007 / 11 a.m.

The Clerk of the Committee Mr. Andrew Chaplin

I would say that “The ministers of...”, and specify which ministers be given seven minutes to make an opening statement.

11 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rick Casson

Ms. Black is making an amendment that defence, foreign affairs, and public safety ministers each be given seven minutes to make an opening statement.

11 a.m.

NDP

Dawn Black NDP New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC

Yes, only.

11 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rick Casson

Seven minutes?

11 a.m.

NDP

Dawn Black NDP New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC

Yes, and three ministers, those three.

11 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rick Casson

Okay, we'll accept this and vote on it.

(Amendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

11 a.m.

Bloc

Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC

Mr. Chairman, are you in fact going to chair tomorrow's meeting?

11 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rick Casson

All those in favour of the amended motion?

11 a.m.

Bloc

Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC

Which is? Are you going to treat my motion after?

11 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rick Casson

Separately, yes.

(Motion as amended agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

11 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rick Casson

Mr. Bachand, are you sure you want to do this?

11 a.m.

Bloc

Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC

Oh, absolutely. I think we have the best chair on the Hill.

11 a.m.

An hon. member

I second that.

11 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rick Casson

All those in favour of Mr. Bachand's motion that it be requested I chair the meeting?

11 a.m.

Bloc

Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC

Yes, it's unanimous.

11 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rick Casson

Hold it. The clerk is telling me this might not be in order.

11 a.m.

Liberal

John Cannis Liberal Scarborough Centre, ON

We made the suggestion.

11 a.m.

Conservative

Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC

It's funny hearing from the member from the Bloc when he wasn't willing to chair the meeting when he had the opportunity, now he's asking you to chair the meeting.

11 a.m.

Bloc

Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC

I gave you my reasons.

11 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rick Casson

When a joint meeting takes place such as this, which has been set up for tomorrow, it is actually two meetings in one, where we have the defence people and the defence chair and we have the foreign affairs committee members and the foreign affairs people, so it's a parallel meeting. So your motion will supersede the Standing Orders.

11:05 a.m.

Bloc

Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC

So then, if I understand correctly, each of you will have a small gavel.

You will each have a little one?

11:05 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rick Casson

Or we'll share one.

11:05 a.m.

Bloc

Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC

We'll share one, both hands on the button.

11:05 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rick Casson

Yes.

Perhaps you would allow me this. I assure you I will work with the chair of the committee to make sure the meeting is structured in the way we're used to, but there is one thing I must warn members about. I believe if it gets to a point where we have to, we will probably have to revert to the issue where we will refer all questions through the chairs to the ministers.

I avoid that because I think give-and-take directly is good, but if it gets to that point, that's an option the chairs have. But I hope we won't have to do that.

11:05 a.m.

Liberal

Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC

We like your style, but we're not sure about the other one.