Evidence of meeting #86 for Official Languages in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was date.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
3:45 p.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
This does not concern the amendment. The purpose of the amendment is to change the date. I don't know whether the member listened to what I said or not, but he should get his facts straight. I apologize, but we have been talking about it for long enough.
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
Okay.
All right.
Mr. Chisu, do you have anything further to add about the amendment?
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
Corneliu Chisu Conservative Pickering—Scarborough East, ON
I'm just saying that I cannot understand why this amendment should be on the same date, October, and it is not November or something like this.
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
Bernard Trottier Conservative Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I think the relevance of the date is that it takes a certain number of meetings to do an exhaustive study. I think just looking at the language component of marine rescue sub-centres is not looking at the problem holistically. If we're going to do a study, I don't think it should be this committee. Fisheries and Oceans should do it because I think you need to look at the operational requirements, things like response times and the deployment of equipment and resources. These are well beyond the scope of the official languages committee.
There is a small slice of this which has to do with language capability. But I'd say the question of marine rescue sub-centres is something that Fisheries and Oceans has to deal with, and language is one aspect of it.
The question is on how many meetings are required to actually do a study. If you're only looking at one aspect of something as important as marine rescue sub-centres.... Of course, peoples lives are involved, and I think it's important to take those things into consideration.
Can this really be done in just two or three meetings? To my colleague's point, would you maybe need six or eight meetings to do that holistic study? We could bring in the experts from Fisheries and Oceans, as well as the ministry of defence, who could talk about the operations and deployment of equipment and the work with the coast guard. That's why I think we need to discuss the date in that context.
3:45 p.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Mr. Chair, I know that some members were absent and have not read the motion. If we vote on the motion, will those members have the right to participate?
If the answer is yes, we will hold another debate.
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
If there's no further debate, I'll call the vote on the amendment. I would have called the vote earlier.
Is there any further debate?
Go ahead, Mr. Trottier.
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
Bernard Trottier Conservative Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON
I think it might be helpful, given some of the logistical challenges of the construction on Parliament Hill, just to do a very brief recap for our colleagues who were just able to arrive—just in terms of there being an amendment that's been proposed and also the debate that's at hand here. I can do that, Mr. Chair.
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
Mr. Godin put forward a motion, which reads as follows:
That the committee conduct a study on the closure of the marine rescue sub-centre in Quebec City before September 30, 2012.
Then he proposed an amendment to replace the date of September 30, 2012, with the date of October 15, 2013. That's what we are currently debating.
We're on debate on the amendment. So if there's no further debate, then I will call the question on the amendment. If there is further debate, please raise your hands.
Yes, Mr. Williamson.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
I'm just curious and this is a little embarrassing. Was this a mistake that was made by a political staffer from the opposition, or is it just a typo that was just made out of your office?
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
It's not an error. We were given notice for this motion on May 15, 2012. That's why the date is the way it is.
We have a point of order from Monsieur Godin.
3:50 p.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Mr. Chair, I raised my point of order to find out whether, if we vote now, the members who came into the room moments ago will have the right to vote?
3:50 p.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
They have the right to vote. In that case, Mr. Chair, I would like to speak to the motion. I raised my hand to talk about it.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
We have to vote on the amendment. You can't withdraw an amendment.
3:50 p.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
No, I didn't say I wanted to withdraw it. I said I want to speak on it.
3:50 p.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
The date was problematic. According to Mr. Trottier, we may not have the time to conduct a comprehensive study because, if it takes longer, we will have to check how the system works. This may have to do with Trenton or Halifax, as that is where the whole thing should be transferred.
As for the date, I think the committee should decide what date to go with. I don't think we had set a specific date for the other study. I have seen studies begin and stop over time. So another study would be carried out, and then the first study would be continued. In the case of the other study, the motion did not set a date; it did not state that the study should be completed without interruption. We have had similar situations in the past, so relevant jurisprudence does exist. We can suspend a study we are conducting and decide which of the two studies is more important. We could say that the study with a deadline would become a priority. That can still be the committee's mandate.
Mr. Chair, that's all I have to say about the date.