National Defence Committee on June 21st, 2011

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

If I could add to that, I agree with increasing the quorum to four for the reasons suggested. I don't have a problem with that. Perhaps the clerk can satisfy us on interpretation there. I notice that in the language of these rules, we talk about the chair in some places and the chair and the two vice-chairs in other situations. I'm assuming that under the reduced quorum rule, the word “chair” includes vice-chairs as well, without having to specifically state that based on....

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

I believe the interpretation is that the chair is the person who is chairing the meeting.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

It is the person who is sitting in the chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

It could be the vice-chair.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

So that reduced quorum doesn't authorize just the chair; it authorizes the committee through a chair to have a reduced quorum.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

In my absence, you're in charge.

We'll go to Madame Moore.

[Christine Moore, NDP, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Do the four members include the chair or not?

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

It includes the chair.

[Christine Moore, NDP, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

With that, we have the amendment before us. Everybody understands the question.

(Amendment agreed to) [See Minutes of Proceedings]

On the distribution of documents: that only the clerk of the committee be authorized--

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Did we vote on both of these?

[Tarik Brahmi, NDP, Saint-Jean, QC]

There is one thing I didn't get.

Are we voting on both amendments at the same time or on just one?

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

It was both, for four plus one member from the government. That was what was proposed in the....

[Christine Moore, NDP, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

I am asking if we can decide for the four and then decide for the other part.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

That was moved as one amendment, so we voted on it at once--

[Tarik Brahmi, NDP, Saint-Jean, QC]

Have we not considered the request to vote on these two issues separately?

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

It was moved as one motion.

Mr. Alexander had taken his original amendment off the floor and proposed a second amendment, which changed it to four plus one from the government party. That was the amended motion before us. I asked if everyone was clear on the question. I called the question. We took the vote, and it carried.

Okay, on distribution of documents, the next one there, are there any comments?

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

There is no issue here. We're just changing the wording from two to four and adding, at the end of “opposition”--

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Adding one from government, yes. That is the clarification.

On distribution of documents, Mr. Alexander.

[Chris Alexander, Conservative, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

I would like to explain this to Mr. Brahmi and Ms. Moore.

We are talking about four members, including the chair or the vice-chair. If we had kept the previous version, the quorum could have consisted of four members of the opposition, including the vice-chair.

[Christine Moore, NDP, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

I am well aware of that.

[Tarik Brahmi, NDP, Saint-Jean, QC]

I don't think that's what the question was. In terms of the first matter, of going from three to four, my understanding is that everyone agrees. Ms. Moore was saying that we would have liked to discuss the other amendment. We actually got the impression that the second was quickly overshadowed by the first. I feel it's quite shocking that we did not have the chance to talk about the second amendment, which is not at all related to the first.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Just so everybody is clear, the amendment came as one motion, so we voted on it once. It came from one motion from Mr. Alexander. We took that vote and it carried. That's the end of debate.

We are moving on to distribution of documents. Does somebody want to move that?

Mr. Harris.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

I would propose a slight modification: that the clerk inform the witnesses of this requirement at the time of arranging for their attendance.

The purpose of that is obvious, but sometimes we have witnesses come with a prepared statement and they expect it is going to be sent around, but of course it cannot be unless it is in both languages. At least if they know when they are told they're coming they can arrange translation, or ask to have it translated before distribution.

For those who have been on this committee, sometimes it has been difficult when someone gives a presentation in one language and it is not available in written form in the other and members can be at a disadvantage afterwards in not having a written copy of the statement.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

It's become common practice. The clerks have always--