Natural Resources Committee on May 29th, 2008

[The Clerk]

Thanks, Mr. Chair.

If members recall, we had a draft report on this issue, which the committee agreed to turn into a consultation paper and make public to stakeholders and to witnesses whom we heard. In that consultation paper essentially was a summary of the testimony. Members can go back, and I can circulate the latest version of that consultation paper to members. In that document is essentially a summary of the testimony. Members all went through the report, and so everything that's in there has been vetted by members. I think that would be a good starting point.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Lloyd St. Amand]

Mr. Anderson.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

I had a suggestion, but I think we've boxed ourselves in with timelines on Tuesday, because of the news conference. There's a research lab at Bells Corners that I know we could probably visit. Iogen is another alternative cellulosic biofuels project that's in town here, and I think some people have toured it before. That's another option.

But I don't know that we have enough time to do some of those things between twelve and two o'clock and be back in time for question period.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Lloyd St. Amand]

Mr. Clerk.

[The Clerk]

Thanks, Mr. Chair.

For a trip to be organized, the committee has to first adopt a motion, and then a budget has to be prepared and it has to go to liaison committee. Then the whips have to agree to give us the permission to travel, even if it's just across the street. All that has to be done.

If it is the will of the committee to travel, my suggestion would be to come with a motion as soon as possible, specifying the place and the date. Then we can go through the process of having budgets approved and all that kind of thing. It's a very structured process.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Lloyd St. Amand]

Between now and Tuesday, then, we'll have an opportunity to review what had already been presented to us as a committee. We will receive from the clerk a draft press release. We'll receive from the clerk specifics as to where the press conference will take place. Our meeting, then, on Tuesday will begin at noon hour. One representative from each party will be at the news conference.

Go ahead, Madame DeBellefeuille.

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC]

Do not forget to get us a bite to eat in a meeting that goes from noon to 2:00 p.m. We need something to keep us going.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Lloyd St. Amand]

Well, somebody will prepare it. May it be me--or Mr. Benoit will prepare the meal.

We're adjourned until Tuesday.