Evidence of meeting #48 for National Defence in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was agreed.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Clerk of the Committee  Mr. Leif-Erik Aune

3:35 p.m.

The Clerk of the Committee Mr. Leif-Erik Aune

Honourable members, I see a quorum.

The meeting is convened pursuant to Standing Order 106(1). Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the chair must be a member of the government party. I'm now prepared to receive motions for the position of chair.

3:35 p.m.

Conservative

Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON

I move that James Bezan stand for chair. He lost the arm-wrestling match.

September 27th, 2012 / 3:35 p.m.

The Clerk

Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?

(Motion agreed to)

Before inviting Mr. Bezan to take the chair, are there any motions, by unanimous consent, to handle anything else?

3:35 p.m.

Conservative

James Bezan Conservative Selkirk—Interlake, MB

I move that through unanimous consent we go to the election of the vice-chairs.

3:35 p.m.

The Clerk

It is agreed by unanimous consent that we proceed to the election of the vice-chairs.

3:35 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

3:35 p.m.

The Clerk

Are there any motions?

3:35 p.m.

NDP

Christine Moore NDP Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC

I propose Mr. Jack Harris as vice-chair.

3:35 p.m.

The Clerk

Are there any other motions?

3:35 p.m.

Conservative

James Bezan Conservative Selkirk—Interlake, MB

I propose John McKay as vice-chair for the Liberals.

3:35 p.m.

The Clerk

Do you mean for second vice-chair?

On Mr. Harris as first vice-chair, is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?

(Motion agreed to)

On Mr. Bezan's motion that Mr. McKay be second vice-chair?

(Motion agreed to)

Mr. Bezan.

3:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Bezan

Thank you, Mr. Aune, for carrying out the elections, and thanks again for the confidence the committee has shown in me continuing on as your chair.

Even though we have nothing else on the agenda, I'd like to ask for unanimous consent that we go in camera to deal with some committee business. Do we have unanimous consent to go in camera?

3:35 p.m.

NDP

Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL

I see a list of attached stuff here. We didn't really come here prepared to deal with it.

3:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Bezan

If there's no unanimous consent, can I have a motion to adjourn?

3:35 p.m.

NDP

Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL

Can we adjourn to a steering committee meeting or something?

3:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Bezan

I'd have to call that with proper notice.

3:35 p.m.

Liberal

John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON

Mr. Chair, before your motion to adjourn and the dispersal of the committee, I just want to offer up these books to committee members: FOB Doc: A Doctor on the Front Lines of Afghanistan, and A Line in the Sand: Canadians at War in Kandahar, by Dr. Wiss.

As you know, Minister MacKay, Jack, and I sponsored an event on the Hill with the film If I Should Fall. Dr. Wiss was very helpful to us. He's made these books available for those who are interested in things military. I think they would be of interest to anybody on the committee. If, in fact, a donation came the way of the Military Families Fund, that would be of no harm. Otherwise, the books are entirely free, and they're here to be picked up. My staff will give them to anybody who is interested. They're wonderful.

3:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Bezan

I've read both books and they're fantastic accounts. They are diaries of a Canadian doctor who went back into the military and went for three tours through Afghanistan as a forward operating base doctor. It's an incredible story from his perspective.

Madame Moore.

3:35 p.m.

NDP

Christine Moore NDP Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC

Are they available only in English, or do you have some French versions?

3:35 p.m.

Liberal

John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON

They are just in anglais, as far as I know. I don't think they are en français.

3:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Bezan

He is francophone, so there could be books—

3:35 p.m.

Liberal

John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON

It may be, but he only gave us copies in English.

3:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Bezan

He's an Ontario francophone from Sudbury.

Seeing nothing else, the meeting is adjourned.