Evidence of meeting #9 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 report.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:50 a.m.
Bloc
Richard Nadeau Bloc Gatineau, QC
If the motion is adopted, I believe the government, if I am not mistaken, will have 120 days to respond.
9:50 a.m.
Bloc
Richard Nadeau Bloc Gatineau, QC
If the government has 120 days to respond, does that mean that the report cannot be adopted in the House of Commons before the government's response?
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
As soon as the report is tabled, the government has 120 days to respond.
Ms. Folco.
9:50 a.m.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
I may be mistaken, Mr. Chairman, but, at various times, I have been a committee chair. As I understand it, unless a request is made for a government response when the report is tabled in the House, the government is not compelled to respond within a specific timeframe. It may, or it may not do so.
However, if we add Mr. Chong's wording asking the government to respond, then the government must respect the prescribed timeframe. That has no bearing on the tabling of the report or on anything else.
It is as clear and as simple as that.
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
Does that answer your question, which I considered to be a point of order, Mr. Nadeau?
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
9:50 a.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
I would simply like to move a short amendment: that the government respond within 90 days after the tabling of the report.
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
We are discussing Mr. Chong's motion, please.
By default, the motion requires the government to respond within 120 days. If we want a different deadline, then we will need an amendment.
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
Luc Harvey Conservative Louis-Hébert, QC
The House will be adjourning for exactly 40 days. That is already...
9:50 a.m.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
It seems to me that 120 days is more than enough time.
Could we vote?
Mr. Bélanger has something to say.
9:55 a.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Mr. Chairman, I believe it might be useful for committee members to be aware of another provision of the standing orders that states that if a committee requests a response, there can be no motion for concurrence by the House. Perhaps one should think twice before moving a resolution for concurrence.
Mr. Chairman, may I suggest that we take a two- or three-minute break in order to proceed with the required consultations?
9:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
Mr. Bélanger, Standing Order 109 deals with Mr. Chong's motion. Here is what it says:
109. Within 120 days of the presentation of a report from a standing or special committee, the government shall, upon the request of the committee, table a comprehensive response thereto, and when such a response has been requested, no motion for the concurrence of the report may be proposed until the comprehensive response has been tabled or the expiration of the said period of 120 days.
A request has been made to suspend the sitting; we will therefore suspend for two minutes.
9:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
Welcome back.
In his motion, Mr. Chong is asking the government to respond.
Are there any questions or comments on the motion? If there are no comments, we will proceed to the taking of the vote.
Agreed, then let us proceed to the taking of the vote.
(The motion is defeated)
9:55 a.m.
Conservative
Luc Harvey Conservative Louis-Hébert, QC
I would like it to be clearly indicated that the Standing Committee on Official Languages is not asking the government to respond to the report on the Court Challenges Program.
If we don't want a response, then we will vote against having a response.
9:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
Mr. Harvey, this is an open meeting, and all of our decisions are public.
Thank you for sharing your opinion with us, Mr. Harvey.