Natural Resources Committee on Dec. 15th, 2021

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, John Aldag]

Go ahead, Mr. Maloney.

[James Maloney, Liberal, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

It just occurred to me that any reference to the minister appearing at committee, whether it's supplementary estimates (B) and (C), or (B) with (C), regardless of where we land, it should contain a provision that it's subject to the minister's availability because, again, Mario and Eric will remember that ministers have always been more than willing to come before this committee, but they're not always available at our beck and call. They will go out of their way to come, but I don't want to make it on a certain date or within a certain time frame if that's not something that's possible on the minister's end. Flexible language needs to be built into it.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

I have a point of order. That provision is assumed, Chair. The committee can't force the minister to appear. They can only invite them. It's more of a political problem if the committee invites them and they choose not to come.

[The Chair, Liberal, John Aldag]

Thank you.

Mr. Angus.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

I didn't put in dates because it's practice for a minister to get back to us and say when they're available. We will adjust our schedule around that.

[James Maloney, Liberal, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Are we debating the amendment now? If there is an amendment tabled we do have to vote on that first.

[The Chair, Liberal, John Aldag]

My understanding is that this is the discussion part of it. Then we are going to look at specific amendments. We have an amendment from Ms. Dabrusin. I was going to come back to her. If there are any other amendments that want to be put forward we'll vote on those. Then we'll go to the amended motion and figure out whether we're carrying that or not.

Ms. Dabrusin, you had a couple of amendments that you put forward there, so I'll give you the floor.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

On a point of order, Chair, you have to dispose of the amendment that is on the floor first.

[The Chair, Liberal, John Aldag]

Which one was that?

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

She put forward an amendment for the supplementary estimates (C). That is what we're debating, so we would vote on that. If she wants to change and do something else, she can have a second amendment, but the amendment is on the supplementary estimates (C).

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

I can speak to my amendment, just because I believe that there was a question from Mr. Angus, and it might help with how we resolve that one.

I was okay with its being supplementary estimates (B) and (C), which I believe is what he had proposed as a friendly subamendment to my amendment. I don't know if that was something that he was formally proposing, but if so, that's fine with me.

[The Chair, Liberal, John Aldag]

We have the amendment that is on the second bullet. Is that where we are? I had marked down that we were going to remove “prior to February 28, 2022”. Is that part of this amendment?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

It was part of mine.

[The Chair, Liberal, John Aldag]

Then it reads, “for no fewer than two hours on the subject matter of the supplementary estimates (B) and supplementary estimates (C)”. Is that the wording of the amendment?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

If I may, and I'm just looking for clarity about whether there was a motion for a subamendment. Mine had actually been for the supplementary (C)s, if any, and the mains, but I was willing to accept the suggestion by Mr. Angus for both supplementary (B)s and (C)s and the main estimates.

[The Chair, Liberal, John Aldag]

Ms. Dabrusin, for the clerk's sake and, I think, that of everybody here, please read the amendment as you would like to put it forward on the second bullet. We'll let you take the pen and give it as you had proposed. Just read it so we have the exact wording you're putting forward.

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Do you want what I suggested in the first instance or what I was willing to accept as the friendly subamendment to my amendment by Mr. Angus? I'm just trying to be sure I'm clear on where we're at now.

[The Chair, Liberal, John Aldag]

I'm just looking to the clerk to see what we can accept.

Ms. Dabrusin, please read out what you're proposing with the friendly amendment.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Just for clarity, Chair, there's no such thing as a friendly amendment. For clarity on committee purposes, it should be, “Is the parliamentary secretary amending the motion so that all committee members are clear on what they're voting on?”

[The Chair, Liberal, John Aldag]

That's fair enough.

Please give us what the amendment is that you're putting forward. Read it to us, and we will take that as the amendment that's being put forward. That's what we will vote on.

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

I'm not trying to be difficult. I'm just checking to see if there was a proposed subamendment to my amendment, because it sounds like I was going to adopt that.

In the first instance, what I proposed as my amendment was that the Minister of Natural Resources be invited to appear before the committee for no fewer than two hours on the subject matter of supplementary estimates (C), if any, and the mains.

That's where it ended. That was my amendment, and then I understood Mr. Angus to suggest a subamendment to that to say both supplementary estimates (B) and (C).

[The Chair, Liberal, John Aldag]

Is there a subamendment from Mr. Angus?

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

I am more than willing to work with all of my beloved here, because it's the way my mama raised me. I would have no problem making a friendly amendment for supplementary estimates (B) and (C), as long as it is for the period of the two hours that we had stipulated in the first part of the motion. Is that correct?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

The “two hours” part is correct.