Official Languages Committee on May 4th, 2010

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

The fact that the meeting is televised is not a problem for government members. It's something that's done regularly. However, the minister is not available for two hours on May 25. We should discuss that.

There is something else. The department does briefings. It is important to determine those technical means. I therefore suggest that we invite members from the department to provide a technical briefing for the first hour of the meeting on May 25, then hear from the minister during the second hour, if that suits you.

I therefore move an amendment to the motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Ms. Glover, you are therefore moving an amendment. You're suggesting that we be given a briefing during the first hour and that the minister appear in the second hour. That's indeed what you are moving? You're making an amendment?

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Yes, that's correct.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

All right. So we have an amendment on the table, as introduced. I'll continue hearing speeches.

Mr. Godin, go ahead, please.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Mr. Chairman, I'm not in favour of this amendment. I think the Roadmap is important enough for the minister himself to be questioned. Deputy ministers or people from his department usually accompany him. Those people can answer questions if the minister asks them to do so. I believe that, if the minister is not available on the 25th, then he should tell us when he is available, and the committee could make itself available to him. On this committee, we are masters of our decisions and we control our schedule.

This has happened quite often in the past as a result of a minister's schedule; we requested suggestions as to when he would have two hours to devote to us. If we have to do it in the evening, that doesn't trouble me. I think the Roadmap is important, time is passing, and there are questions that have to be asked. I am opposed to the amendment, and I'm going to vote on the motion as it stands. The only amendment I would accept, perhaps, would be for the purpose of adjusting to the minister's schedule. This also has to be done quite quickly because we want to finish and prepare a report before the end of June.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you, Mr. Godin.

Mr. Bélanger.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Mr. Chairman, I'm opposed to the amendment. If the department wants to give us a briefing, I'm quite willing, anytime; that does not have to be done at a meeting. We've previously had briefings.

There's something else: the minister is never available for two hours; that seems to be a government policy. He will at least know the will of the committee, and if he wants to abide by it, he will be here for two hours. Schedules change and shift.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

That's excellent. Thank you for your comment.

Shall we vote on the amendment? Are you ready?

(Amendment negatived [See the Minutes of Proceedings.]

Now we'll proceed with the vote on the main motion.

(Motion agreed to)

Thank you. We are going to continue the proceedings in camera. We'll now suspend the sitting for two minutes to go in camera.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Just before we go in camera, I want to say again that the committee has proceeded in this manner in the past, that is to say that, if the minister says he is busy, and I doubt he is, we can adjust our schedule in order to meet him.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Our clerk will inform the minister of the committee's wishes, and if it is possible for him to give us two hours, he will do so on Thursday.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Otherwise we can adjust our schedule.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

All right.

We will suspend the sitting to go in camera.

[Proceedings continue in camera]