Official Languages Committee on March 6th, 2012

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

—or in person?

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

No, and if it is, they have to make a motion, and then we're going to have to vote on it. I want a registered vote.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

This is simply for the budget, so I'm just—

[An hon. member]

This is a separate issue from the budget.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

That's right, but I need direction. If the majority of members on committee are telling me they want to invite witnesses by teleconference exclusively, that's what the chair is bound to do.

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

The motion I put on the floor doesn't say that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

No, the motion you put on the floor is simply for a budget. The motion in front of us is on the budget. If there's no further debate on the budget, can I call the vote?

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Richmond Hill, ON]

Can we amend the motion?

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Yes. Go ahead and move an amendment.

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Richmond Hill, ON]

My amendment is exactly what you said, Mr. Chair, that we invite witnesses to testify by teleconference, and if that's not possible, we invite them in person. We do have a responsibility to the taxpayer.

[Dan Harris, NDP, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

That's the opposite of what the chair said.

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

Are we going to do that all the time now or what?

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Because there's no consensus here and debate has not been exhausted, we're going to adjourn the meeting. We'll continue this in the last five minutes of the next meeting.

The meeting is adjourned.