We have copies of it.
Evidence of meeting #1 for National Defence in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #1 for National Defence in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Charles Sousa
That's what I thought we were going to be talking about.
Are we okay to go into camera?
Go ahead, Sherry.
Liberal
Sherry Romanado Liberal Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne, QC
We just passed routine motions, which clearly stated that any motion or notice of motion needs 48 hours' notice. We're not actually in committee business, but if it is the will of the committee to do so.... Normally for committee business, we would move in camera, but it's up to the will of the committee.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Charles Sousa
I'm just trying to be respectful to the team in our first meeting. I want to be collaborative.
I understand the concern about having people be accessible. We are aware that we want to make the minister and others available to us. Unfortunately, they're not available right now, so that's going to be a bit of an issue, but I do want to collaborate.
Maybe there's other work that we know needs to be done, such as on threats and other issues before the country. We want to make sure the minister is available as soon as possible.
I'd like to go in camera and not publicize some of the discussions we're about to have, if that's okay.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke, ON
Mr. Chair, there is a motion on the table right now, which is the motion that Mr. Bezan just moved. We have to finish that motion.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Charles Sousa
I'm trying to understand if the motion is eligible, given that we haven't had 48 hours. That's the point. We're not in committee business, right?
Conservative
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Charles Sousa
We're going to discuss things a bit more openly, I think, without being political and without playing “film studios”. That's all I'm trying to get at. I want us to maintain decorum.
Conservative
James Bezan Conservative Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB
The practice of this committee has been to deal with motions in public, because we don't want to be behind a veil of secrecy. It's about trying to plan ahead for future business and allow Canadians to see how seriously we take our work here supporting the Canadian Armed Forces and dealing with the challenges that we have with national defence.
Bloc
Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot—Acton, QC
I don't know about the legal aspects. Personally, I would have preferred to receive the motions in advance, in order to be well prepared for this meeting with the minister.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Charles Sousa
I think your point is we should be prepared to have the minister appear and, without having a prior opportunity to advise the minister, that is problematic.
The reason I'm suggesting we go in camera is that we're not in committee business. As a chair, I don't see this as being committee business, because we just passed routine motions saying you need 48 hours. I'm trying to be respectful to the members by having this dialogue, and I would like us to do this in camera, if everyone's in agreement.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Charles Sousa
Can someone put forward a motion to go in camera, please?
MP Malette moves that we go in camera.
This is a dilatory motion, so we will go straight into a vote.
Bloc
Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot—Acton, QC
I would just like to understand the purpose of the vote. Does the vote concern the motion or the proposal to go in camera?
Bloc
Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot—Acton, QC
I was wondering whether the vote concerned the motion or the proposal to go in camera, because everything happened quite quickly.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Charles Sousa
It's a vote to proceed in camera.
(Motion negatived: nays 5; yeas 4)
The issue is we are not in committee business. I'm trying to make certain that we proceed accordingly and that we have 48 hours before motions.
Conservative
James Bezan Conservative Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB
Mr. Chair, I will put my motion on notice as I just read it in, and we'll make sure that we circulate it. This is your notice of motion so we can deal with this on Thursday:
That the Minister and officials be invited to appear for two hours on the Main Estimates, referred to the committee on May 27, 2025, and Supplementary Estimates (A), referred to the committee on June 9, 2025, and that this meeting be televised.
That motion is on notice.
Bloc