Evidence of meeting #1 for National Defence in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
11:20 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rick Casson
Next is the amendment proposed by Mr. Coderre that one member from the whip's office for each party be allowed into in camera meetings.
(Amendment agreed to)
(Motion as amended agreed to)
11:20 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rick Casson
Next is in camera meeting transcrip: that one copy of the transcript of each in camera meeting be kept in the committee clerk's office for consultation by members of the committee..
(Motion agreed to)
11:20 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rick Casson
Next is notice of motions. Traditionally that's been 48 hours, I believe, so it would read:
That 48 hours' notice be required for any substantive motion to be considered by the committee, unless the substantive motion relates directly to business then under consideration; and that the notice of motion be filed with the clerk of the committee and distributed to members in both official languages.
I just have one question for the clerk on when the 48 hours starts. The motion is translated and brought to the meeting, and the 48 hours starts from that meeting, right?
11:20 a.m.
The Clerk
The practice is 48 hours in total, but it's two sleeps, as is the practice in the House.
11:20 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rick Casson
Two sleeps.
Welcome, Mr. Blaney.
Is there any further discussion?
(Motion agreed to)
11:20 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rick Casson
On allocation of time for witness presentations and the questioning of witnesses, the motion is:
That, at the discretion of the chair, witnesses be given ten minutes to make their opening statement;
And that, at the discretion of the chair, during the questioning of witnesses the time allocated to each questioner be as follows: first round, seven minutes each, Liberal, Bloc Québécois, NDP, Conservative; second round, five minutes each, Liberal, Conservative, Bloc Québécois, Conservative, Liberal, Conservative, Liberal; third round, five minutes each, Liberal, Conservative,Bloc Québécois, Conservative, Liberal, Conservative, Liberal, NDP.
And that when a minister is in attendance the order and time allocation for questioning the witnesses be the same as above, with the exception that in the first round of questioning ten minutes be allocated to each questioner of each party.
(Motion agreed to)
11:20 a.m.
Conservative
11:20 a.m.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I have some motions. One is on the priority of legislation, and I recognize we may have to discuss this or vote on it the next time. It reads:
That the consideration and examination of any bill, government or private member's bill, which falls within the express mandate of the committee shall take precedence over any study or non-legislative examination. In such circumstances the non-legislative study shall be deferred until such time as the bill is reported back to the House.
11:20 a.m.
An hon. member
[Inaudible].
11:20 a.m.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
Any bill, government or private member's bill, that falls within the mandate of the defence committee would take precedence over any study or non-legislative examination.
In other words, the objective is to move government business, private member's or government bills, through the process and not have them held up in committee, with the intent of moving the legislative agenda--again, government or private member's--forward.
11:25 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rick Casson
Just for clarification--I hope the clerk can answer this for me--I understood this was the situation as it exists now, that bills had priority over other examinations.
11:25 a.m.
The Clerk
That is the practice. It is up to a committee to decide. There's no time limit for the study of government bills; however, there is a time limit on private bills.
11:25 a.m.
Conservative
11:25 a.m.
NDP
Dawn Black NDP New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC
Does the government plan on introducing some legislation?
11:25 a.m.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
It's hypothetical at this point, but the objective is, if there is legislation, to move legislation along over the study of whatever.
11:25 a.m.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
No, I know of nothing in particular that's coming, but of course I would tell you.
11:25 a.m.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Mr. Chair, we must not forget that we already had things on the go last session. Anyway, we can talk about that at the steering committee. Of course we have our work as parliamentarians to do, but this meeting takes precedence. If we have things to decide because a situation is urgent, I do not think that we should neglect that either. We can keep working as we did before, but if situations arise that require decisions, we can, as we have already, pass appropriate motions just so that we are sure of our priorities, as usual.
So, unless my colleague tells me that he is going to table a bill, we already have work to do and we should continue to do it according to the agenda. It is my understanding that the steering committee is going to meet on Thursday. That is when we can look at the issues we will be discussing, because there are a lot of them. We have a lot on our plate.
11:25 a.m.
Conservative
11:25 a.m.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
The suggestion is to give priority to legislative agendas, whatever they happen to be.
11:25 a.m.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
The parliamentary secretary has to do that once, Mr. Chair. It is fine, it justifies his position.
11:25 a.m.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
I said that all parliamentary secretaries have to do that once in their life. It is fine, it is done.
11:25 a.m.
Conservative