Evidence of meeting #20 for Official Languages in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was clerk.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
Well, that's how I want to proceed because I don't want to have our witness wait any longer.
Mr. Mulcair, the floor is yours.
March 11th, 2008 / 9:10 a.m.
NDP
Thomas Mulcair NDP Outremont, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
What a pleasure it is to have the floor after several people have already spoken. I simply wanted to support my colleague Mr. Bélanger's reaction. I am stunned that Mr. Lord has responded in this way and, unlike your Conservative colleagues who won't stop questioning your authority, I am going to back you up, because I was actually at the meeting when the decision was made to invite Mr. Lord. It was a decision made legally by the body in question.
In any event, if some members do want to address the matter immediately, I would strongly suggest that we do this, because I find it outrageous that Bernard Lord would submit the first draft of his report to the government, undoubtedly for editorial purposes, and that he would refuse to come before elected representatives. He is not an elected member of the House of Commons. He should, at the very least, have had little respect for this parliamentary institution.
On behalf of the NDP, I insist that Mr. Lord must appear before this committee. And in this regard, I am confirming a decision which was made here legally last week.
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
Thank you, Mr. Mulcair.
At the end of this meeting, if you recall, we talked about the possibility of discussing the proposed schedule, and I suggested that the members of the steering committee allocate some time to a discussion of the agenda. And that is what we're going to do. Unfortunately, it won't be possible this morning because we have to hear from a witness. This question is not, therefore, on the orders of the day, but on Thursday morning, in the first hour, we'll have an opportunity to discuss current business and to outline our schedule.
Without further ado, I'm going to hear your point of order. Then, I'd like to hear from our witness. As you're aware, Mr. Corbeil has important information he'd like to share with us. Right up until yesterday, we were not even sure he would be appearing. We'll set aside some time on Thursday morning. So in 48 hours, we'll revisit this issue and address the matter of witnesses, invitations, etc.
We'll now hear Mr. Bélanger's point of order. Then, I'd like us to welcome our witness.
Mr. Bélanger, you have the floor.
9:15 a.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
I don't make this a habit, Mr. Chairman.
You said that Mr. Lemieux was right, and that the committee must first approve the schedule proposal and that Mr. Corbeil, with all due respect to him, is not necessarily a witness we should be hearing from, because his appearance is in fact unauthorized. That's what Mr. Lemieux said, and you told him he was right. It is my opinion that we should discuss the proposed schedule, and that would include Mr. Lord's appearance.
I absolutely must have an answer to my question. The clerk told me this, Mr. Chairman. Out of courtesy and politeness, this information should be shared with everyone. He said to me—and I'm sorry to put you in a delicate situation; it's certainly not my intention to do so—that Mr. Lord declined our invitation, and not that he simply did not give a date when he would be available. He declined. And if that's true, the committee should, in my opinion, act. Did he decline the invitation, or didn't he?
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
If I've understood correctly, that is what he has done initially. As Chairman, I want to make sure with the clerk that all necessary steps will have been taken once our schedule is established because I know the committee will want to hear from certain witnesses.
I haven't had any time to see my clerk. I arrived last night at 9:00 p.m., because of the storm. So I will come back to this on Thursday morning in our first hour.
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
9:15 a.m.
An hon. member
You said it was okay, Mr. Chairman.
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
It's straightforward. He said that Mr. Lord, initially, did not appear to have indicated when he'd be available, then he apparently declined the invitation.
9:15 a.m.
A voice
No, no.
9:15 a.m.
A voice
Let him speak please.
9:15 a.m.
A voice
Mr. Chairman?
9:15 a.m.
The Chairman
Hold on a second. I don't want this to fall apart. I think we're getting off topic.
9:15 a.m.
A voice
It's simple, we want to know...
9:15 a.m.
The Chairman
Go ahead, Mr. Clerk.
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
Daniel Petit Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
We're currently discussing something which should be discussed in camera. Either we sit in camera, or the debate is public. If the debate remains public, I'd ask that the clerk not testify from his seat. He'll have to go and testify over there because what he said is serious. Don't forget they want to send a subpoena, and as a result, his testimony would become the very basis for summoning Mr. Bernard Lord to testify. That's what I want to know. There's a big difference between saying that you decline an invitation and indicating that you don't have any availability. The NDP wants to have him appear. We're no longer talking about the same thing.
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
I will authorize one final comment. I'm going to ask the clerk...
I'll accept two comments, from Mr. Lemieux and Mr. Nadeau. Now, Mr. Clerk, do you have anything to add? Can you talk about the invitations in public or does this have to be done in camera?
The clerk has informed me that to discuss these things, we must be sitting in camera. So I have my answer.
Without further ado, since we're not sitting in camera, we'll proceed with hearing from our witness. On Thursday morning, we will take up where we left off in camera. If you like, we can take a break. I want us to proceed with hearing from our witness.
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
9:20 a.m.
Bloc
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
Mr. Nadeau, your name is on my list of speakers; I'll recognize you. Then I would urge committee members to be smart about this and welcome our witness. We're lucky to have him here today. On Thursday morning, we'll discuss all that in camera. And we'll ask the clerk all the questions you wish.
Mr. Nadeau, the floor is yours.
9:20 a.m.
Bloc
Richard Nadeau Bloc Gatineau, QC
Mr. Chairman, I would like to move a motion. My motion is quite simply that the committee invite Mr. Bernard Lord again...