It's not exactly what was said before.
Evidence of meeting #1 for Natural Resources in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was witnesses.
Evidence of meeting #1 for Natural Resources in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was witnesses.
11:45 a.m.
Bloc
Christian Ouellet Bloc Brome—Missisquoi, QC
So it's more than 20 minutes for the Liberals and the Conservatives. It's more than 20 minutes, because with 75 minutes it has to be. I would be keen on keeping the proportion of the representation in the House with the minutes we have here, and with 75 minutes, we don't keep it. I don't see how you separate those 75 minutes among the parties.
11:45 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
The Liberals would get 20, the Bloc will get 15, the NDP will get 10, and the Conservatives will get 20.
11:45 a.m.
Bloc
11:45 a.m.
Conservative
11:45 a.m.
Conservative
Mike Allen Conservative Tobique—Mactaquac, NB
Mr. Chairman, as already said, the allotment will be 25, 25, 15, and 10.
11:45 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
Oh, no. Actually, the Liberals and the Conservatives get 25 each—
11:45 a.m.
Conservative
Bradley Trost Conservative Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK
Because we get five minutes each in the fourth round as well.
11:45 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
I'm sorry. In this we get 25 each, because in the third round it goes back and forth.
11:45 a.m.
Bloc
Christian Ouellet Bloc Brome—Missisquoi, QC
Personally, Mr. Chair, I don't think it's fair, because there are 51 of us in the House, and we have 15 minutes and the Liberals have 25 minutes. I don't think that's fair. If you want to keep up, 15 and 20 minutes is fair, but not 15 and 25.
11:45 a.m.
Bloc
11:45 a.m.
An hon. member
But we're not. We're prepared to be generous. If it were double, we'd have 30.
11:45 a.m.
NDP
Catherine Bell NDP Vancouver Island North, BC
It's my understanding that other committees have set precedent by alternating between the government and the opposition. It would maybe alleviate some of the math issue here to move from government to opposition and....
11:45 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
The committee is an all-party committee. Basically what we're trying to do is treat the committee members as individuals and have it on a pro rata basis so that it's quite equal for each member. That's why in the first three rounds there is a potential five minutes for each member of the committee. The fourth round is where it might skew slightly, but it goes back to the standings in the House to balance that side of it.
The first three rounds actually give everybody five minutes. That's the premise we start at; then in the wrap we go back to the standings in the House and give everybody an opportunity to wrap up.
I know it takes a while to get into, but having gone through this in the last minority Parliament, I think it's pretty fair. Generally, it's been perceived as fair.
Mr. Ouellet, does that satisfy you, or do you have any more concerns?
11:45 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
That's good, then.
Mr. Trost, did you want to comment on this item?
11:45 a.m.
Conservative
Bradley Trost Conservative Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK
I hope you guys got the math right. I'm not going to say anything.
11:45 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
This is the mathematician. If it's okay with Trost, we're probably all right.
Yes, Mr. St. Amand.
11:45 a.m.
Liberal
Lloyd St. Amand Liberal Brant, ON
When this is finished, I'd like to make a point about the length of time for witnesses.
