Evidence of meeting #1 for National Defence in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was motions.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Karen McCrimmon
We have a motion that has been tabled, and we just voted on Mr. Bezan's motion.
We were talking about doing some other short-term work. Do you want to agree to that now, or send that to the subcommittee as well?
Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe.
4:30 p.m.
Bloc
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
I would send it to subcommittee to set priorities on the matters. I will, however, introduce it today.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Anita Vandenbeld Liberal Ottawa West—Nepean, ON
I'm not entirely clear. There's a motion on the floor. I was planning to put a motion that would supersede that one. Because Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe's motion is on the floor, I'm not sure if I'm in order, but I would like to propose a motion that in the first few meetings, in the first week, we hear from Jacqueline O’Neill and we have a briefing on Operation Laser, and that all other motions be sent to the subcommittee.
I don't know whether I'm in order, if Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe has his motion on the floor.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Karen McCrimmon
I think he has his motion on the floor. That's my understanding. We have to deal with that motion.
Mrs. Gallant.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
I would like to propose an amendment to the motion, which is to have the government respond to the report, and to include Canadian companies, not just Quebec companies, to appear as witnesses.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Karen McCrimmon
This is the challenge: What are we going to do in our committee, and what are we going to do in our subcommittee?
This is a decision. I know the subcommittee's job is to prioritize and come up with a calendar of work. We could spend a lot of time here on motions and amendments and actually kind of supersede the work of the subcommittee. I've also heard from others who said they weren't ready with a motion but they wanted to table some motions.
We could go ahead. We have one motion from Mr. Bezan that has been passed. What we need is two or three short little things that don't take a lot of organization and that maybe include officials, who are a little easier to get as witnesses than...for a larger study.
If we could find a way to put a motion forward for one or two other small studies or small briefings or something, and then refer everything else to the steering committee, then we'll make sure that.... We could also set a deadline if you want to send in another motion for a study. We could make it so that it needs to be sent to the clerk by Friday at the end of the day, or whatever people would like to see. Then the subcommittee will have dealt with what we need to keep us.... That way we can make good use of next week while the subcommittee is putting a plan together.
Do I understand that correctly? Is that where we are?
4:35 p.m.
Conservative
4:35 p.m.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
I believe Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe had a motion on the floor, and I had an amendment to his motion. Are we going to deal with the amendment and then the motion, or is Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe expected to pull his motion off the floor altogether?
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Karen McCrimmon
No, I don't think that has been said at all. I'm trying to find a way.... I'm listening to what everybody has to say and making sure that I understand what we're trying to achieve here. I am trying to make a way forward, so that everybody gets what they want.
Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe.
4:35 p.m.
Bloc
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
As Mrs. Gallant said, we have the motion before us. Mrs. Gallant moved an amendment with which I agree. We could then pass the motion immediately and submit it to subcommittee for prioritization. Then we could move on.
I believe that would get us out of the mess we're now in.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Karen McCrimmon
We have a motion on the floor from Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe, and an amendment from Mrs. Gallant.
4:35 p.m.
NDP
4:35 p.m.
NDP
Randall Garrison NDP Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, BC
I'm sorry to be a bit petulant, but you have to consult the “raise hand” function. Either we use it, or we don't.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Karen McCrimmon
There must be a lag, because I looked at it and there wasn't a hand up. It could be my terrible Internet.
Go ahead, Mr. Garrison.
4:35 p.m.
NDP
Randall Garrison NDP Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, BC
My proposal is that we don't use it, because it's going to cause a problem.
At this point, I think we understand what we're trying to do here. I move to refer Mrs. Gallant's amendment and the main motion from Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe to the steering committee.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Karen McCrimmon
We have a motion from Mr. Garrison to refer the amendment by Mrs. Gallant and the motion by Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe to the steering committee.
Is there any further debate?
(Motion agreed to)
Does anybody want to make a suggestion about more motions?
Ms. Vandenbeld.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Anita Vandenbeld Liberal Ottawa West—Nepean, ON
Now I would put forward the motion that I originally mentioned, which is that we invite Jacqueline O'Neill, that we invite officials to talk about the CAF COVID response, and that we table all other motions to the subcommittee.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Karen McCrimmon
We have a motion on the floor from Ms. Vandenbeld.
We'll go to Mr. Spengemann and then Mr. Bezan.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Sven Spengemann Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
Madam Chair, I did not want to speak to that motion. I had a couple of additional ideas, or at least one additional motion that I would table, so I will go back in the queue and speak later on, if that's okay.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Karen McCrimmon
Does anyone want to speak on Ms. Vandenbeld's submission?
Mr. Bezan.
4:35 p.m.
Conservative
James Bezan Conservative Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I would ask that we amend Ms. Vandenbeld's motion so that it refers directly to Mr. Garrison's motion about inviting Jacqueline O’Neill and to my second motion that we have a meeting regarding SARS CoV-2 and its impact on the Canadian Armed Forces operations domestically and abroad.