Evidence of meeting #17 for Natural Resources in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was industry.
A video is available from Parliament.
12:45 p.m.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
It is. Mr. Patzer quoted from the committee Hansard, and that's what was said. That's in the evidence. That is what it says. That is clear.
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
Bryan May Liberal Cambridge, ON
Mr. Chair, I understand what's going on here. I think Bob's argument is based on the original motion, and what you're referring to was an agreement. I'm wondering if the clerk can step in here and say whether or not a vote is required when there is an agreement among committee members. There was one, as I clearly remember, in the last committee business piece.
I agree with you, Mr. Chair, that we should be moving this in camera.
12:45 p.m.
Conservative
Greg McLean Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
On a point of order, Mr. Chair, I don't agree with Mr. May that this is something we move in camera. The witnesses can leave, of course, but committee business is still happening as committee business.
Mr. Chair, it's been an unusual year and the minister has had an unusual year. He wasn't here for some of the other supplementary estimates, so I think this gives him the opportunity to come before the committee one more time. He should take advantage of that opportunity.
This is Parliament and we still need to function as if we are Parliament. Insofar as this, to my understanding, requires consent from this committee to have the two combined, I don't think we received it.
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
Bryan May Liberal Cambridge, ON
We did, Mr. Chair, and I'm wondering if the clerk can confirm that, please.
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal James Maloney
That's what I'm waiting on right now.
Mr. McLean, in response to that, we are proceeding as Parliament, not “as if” it is Parliament. We're actually doing that.
The minister has always been very generous with his time. He's been willing to make himself available at any time requested and on occasions when he hasn't been requested. It has been an unusual year. Nobody will disagree with that either.
When the minister was not able to come, we all know it was for personal reasons. They were family matters. Nobody—and I include you, Mr. Patzer, and all of your colleagues in this—holds any ill will toward the minister for that, but the circumstances were such as they were. Regardless, he has always been willing to come.
We can deal with this in camera. I'm happy to have a discussion about it. I will listen to Mr. Patzer's point of order, and then I'm going to suspend while we go in camera.
12:45 p.m.
Conservative
Jeremy Patzer Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
Thank you.
I just want to bring to your attention, having gone back through the Hansard of our last meeting, that when you addressed us all at the end of the meeting you said “to discuss estimates”. You did not clearly say main estimates. You just said estimates. You left it vague, so we did not have the clarity that we were going to be discussing the main estimates.
The motion we unanimously voted on as a committee, every member, was for the supplementary estimates. That was why I asked for a vote on it, to make sure we were voting on just the supplementary estimates. Last time, again, you did not specify main. You said only estimates, and the Hansard indicates as much.
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal James Maloney
Again, I don't think we're disagreeing on what the motion said or on the outcome of the motion, Mr. Patzer. Let's suspend, and we will go in camera.
Thank you to our witnesses.
[Proceedings continue in camera]