Natural Resources Committee on Jan. 16th, 2008

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

We're here already. Let's decide what we're going to do. Why would we leave and come back and possibly decide that we're not going to be meeting? We can decide in the next five minutes what we're doing this afternoon. There are no witnesses. What would we spend two hours here talking about?

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Mississauga—Erindale, ON]

We need to discuss what the future could be.

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

Then let's have the discussion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Excuse me, Mr. Alghabra.

You've heard the suggestion that we have that discussion now.

Do you have any input on that, Madame DeBellefeuille?

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

I understand the impatience of the members of the Conservative Party. However, I suggest that we nevertheless take a few minutes to eat.

Mr. Chairman, could the clerk phone AECL this afternoon to call a witness? I do indeed have a lot of questions for AECL. We could take advantage of the fact that everyone is present to clear up a few issues left pending following the minister's replies with regard to AECL.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Of course the committee can invite whomever they wish to invite.

Is there any other business of the committee before we adjourn this meeting?

Again, we have to decide what to do with this afternoon's meeting. We've had a suggestion and a counter-suggestion. Is the committee ready to deal with future business right now?

Monsieur Proulx.

[Marcel Proulx, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Chair, may I make a suggestion? It's not because of my travel arrangements, because I'd have no credibility in this, but we had planned on sitting from one o'clock to three. So I think we should come back after lunch, but let's limit the time so that we don't run until five or six o'clock. I understand people have travel arrangements that have been made.

If we summon people from Atomic Energy Canada, my understanding is that it takes two and a half hours. Let's meet back here at 1:30, Mr. Chair, and we can discuss this.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Monsieur Proulx, we do have food here for committee members and for House of Commons staff working with the committee.

Mr. Anderson.

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

My suggestion is that if we're going to break, why don't we meet in 15 or 20 minutes, at one o'clock or whatever? We'll have something to eat and then come back.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

We'll come back at one o'clock. It was a scheduled meeting time. That meeting can't occur, but I'm sure all members have blocked off that time, or at least part of it.

Ms. Bell, you can have one final comment before we adjourn this meeting.

[Catherine Bell, NDP, Vancouver Island North, BC]

I'm sorry, can you clarify what you just said?

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

We'll come back at one o'clock and discuss future business.

[Catherine Bell, NDP, Vancouver Island North, BC]

Okay, then I'll leave it until then.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Thank you, Ms. Bell.

The meeting is adjourned.