Natural Resources Committee on Nov. 27th, 2012

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

I'd like to ask again if there is anyone opposed to my allowing the witnesses to leave, as it appears we're not going to get back to them at this meeting.

Does anyone object to that? I hear no objection.

I'd like to thank the witnesses, both the witnesses who are here in person and the witness from Edmonton. It is a shame; we had business to do, and unfortunately we haven't been able to get to it.

I'd like to allow you to leave the table, and leave the room in Edmonton, if you would like, and again thank you for appearing. I do hope we are allowed to hear from you sometime in the future.

Are there any more amendments being proposed?

Go ahead, Mr. McKay.

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

Thank you, Chair. I appreciate the generosity.

Again, thank you, witnesses, for your participation.

I was very concerned about the similarity of these motions. I thought for all of our sakes, just to change up the similarity, we could amend the motion to this time invite the Premier of Alberta.

The motion would now read that the Premier of Alberta be invited. It would be that the committee conduct hearings on the economic benefits that flow from Alberta's energy sector and across Canada and that the committee invite the Premier of Alberta to the committee hearings.

I'm sure the clerk has had some practice in getting used to the change in this motion. Just substitute the Premier of Alberta's name in there.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

You've heard the amendment proposed by Mr. McKay.

Go ahead, Mr. Anderson.

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

Mr. Chair, I'd suggest that if we leave in that members of Parliament David McGuinty and Justin Trudeau be invited as witnesses to explain their comments and that we invite the Premier of Alberta as well, we would go along with that.

As a friendly amendment, I would suggest that perhaps we could do that, and we could support Mr. McKay's amendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Mr. McKay, you've heard Mr. Anderson's attempt at trying to solve this issue. Do you agree with that friendly amendment proposal?

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

I'm remarkably charmed by the apparent friendliness of Mr. Anderson. It doesn't happen that often.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

He's demonstrated it at this committee very often, Mr. McKay.

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

Of course Mr. Anderson is not being entirely forthcoming, because he knows that the Premier of Alberta would have a lot of important information that would be of relevance to this kind of study, so I don't regard it as a friendly amendment, in spite of my personal regard for Mr. Anderson.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

We have the proposed amendment. Does everybody understand the proposed amendment?

Is there any discussion on the proposed amendment?

Go ahead, Mr. McKay.

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

I have the greatest and highest regard for the Premier of Alberta. I do not know her. I only have observed her in a political setting, and regard her as, really, one of the leaders of our country.

I think not only is Alberta fortunate to have a premier of her calibre, but the nation is fortunate to have a premier of her calibre. She's shown immense leadership on a variety of national issues, which, regrettably, others haven't shown on issues such as energy issues. She's a remarkable woman. She has significant qualifications for the position. She articulates the position of her province brilliantly, but she does have that big tent, the larger vision of....

Should I stop, Chair, given that you're preoccupied with your clerk and you're wanting to find out what the book actually says?

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

I'm listening intently, Mr. McKay. There's nothing of importance that I'm missing, Mr. McKay, because I'm listening intently to everything you say.

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

I'm shocked that you would say so, Mr. Chair. I didn't realize you had such multi-tasking talent. I thought you were a straight-ahead kind of guy.

As you appreciate, the Premier of Alberta is a very capable individual, very well qualified for her position. What I like about her is not only that she represents her province well but that she also takes into view the interests of the nation. I think that's to be commended in a provincial politician.

I particularly appreciated her efforts in Halifax, where she tried to bring a number of the premiers together. My goodness, she was so skilled as to even bring Premier Marois into the discussion about energy and other matters that affect our nation.

It's rather a pity that other politicians, particularly senior politicians and particularly senior federal politicians, aren't able to see the national interest at these premiers' meetings, but I remain eternally optimistic, Mr. Chair, that the Premier of Alberta will set a fine example for other politicians.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Are we ready for the vote on the proposed amendment?

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

Can you read the amendment as he has proposed it?

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

The clerk will read the amendment.

[The Clerk]

It is: That the committee conduct hearings on the economic benefits that flow from Alberta's energy sector across Canada; that the Premier of Alberta be invited; and that the committee report its findings to the House in order to ensure that all members of Parliament and Canadians are informed of these economic benefits.

Is that right, Mr. McKay?

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

That's right.

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

I have another friendly amendment. It would be that we word it, “That the committee, in light of the comments by Liberal MP David McGuinty and Liberal leadership candidate Justin Trudeau, conduct hearings on the economic benefits that flow from Alberta's energy sector across Canada”, and we then conclude with the rest of Mr. McGuinty's motion—or rather, Mr. McKay's.

I'm sorry; they all look alike to me.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Order.

Could you go through that again, Mr. Anderson?

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

We would leave the first.... It's “That the committee, in light of the comments by senior Liberal MP David McGuinty and Liberal leadership candidate Justin Trudeau, conduct hearings on the economic benefits that flow from Alberta's energy sector across Canada”.

I think we would support inviting the Alberta premier, knowing that she's not compelled to come or whatever, and I expect that you would still see Mr. McGuinty and Mr. Trudeau being expected to explain their comments as well, although that wouldn't be in the motion, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Just to be clear, you would be—

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

Mr. Chair, I'm going to withdraw this. I didn't take the time to write it up properly here, so on his next motion—

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Okay. I wanted clarity. Are you backing off, then, from the friendly amendment?

We have Monsieur Gravelle on Mr. McKay's proposed amendment.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Not really, sir; I just want some clarification after what Mr. Anderson said.