National Defence Committee on Nov. 3rd, 2016

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

No. In her case, she came in as a substitute member, so she had full rights. I'll just put it on the record that I was not happy about her participation. I do feel that as the parliamentary secretary to a minister who shares responsibilities on procurement of national defence assets, it is a conflict and is a violation of your own directive in the mandate letter. However, she was duly and officially substituted in and she was a member of the committee.

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

The motion wasn't meant to be plural.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

I put “secretaries” because I want to be sure that anyone who is attending not as a substituted member wouldn't have the ability to be carrying out the PMO's wishes at committee by interfering.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

It could be the parliamentary secretary for environment, right?

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

If she decided to sit in, if we were having a hearing on how much the carbon tax is going to impact the price of operations of vessels and aircraft and—

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

But as this motion reads, Rodger Cuzner couldn't come here and participate.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Right, though I really like Rodger.

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

As it's written, I certainly won't be supporting the motion.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

It would need unanimous consent. That's the reality.

[The Chair, Liberal, Stephen Fuhr]

Is there any more debate on this issue, or do you want to call the question?

James, do you want a recorded vote?

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Yes, I'd like a recorded vote, please.

(Motion negatived: nays 5; yeas 4)

[The Chair, Liberal, Stephen Fuhr]

I know you had something you wanted to talk about but we're—

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

I want to move a motion and I have it worded. The motion is as follows:

That the Committee invite the Minister of Defence to appear at the earliest opportunity before the Committee for two (2) hours, to discuss the recently tabled Supplementary Estimates; and that the meeting be televised.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

I have a point of order.

I believe that this motion, because it doesn't relate to committee business, needs to have 48 hours' notice.

[The Chair, Liberal, Stephen Fuhr]

We're in committee business.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

No, it doesn't relate to the committee business that we're doing today.

[The Chair, Liberal, Stephen Fuhr]

We're in committee business.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Okay, so in that case I really want to give some thought to this. I have a meeting right now, so I'll move that we adjourn debate on this and we discuss it at the next meeting.

[The Chair, Liberal, Stephen Fuhr]

All in favour of adjourning debate?

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

I want a recorded vote.

(Motion agreed to: yeas 5; nays 4)

[The Chair, Liberal, Stephen Fuhr]

The meeting is adjourned.