Official Languages Committee on Nov. 4th, 2013

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

The motion says the opposite. It says that we will not wait for members who are late so that we don't keep the witnesses waiting. The motion actually says: “when travelling outside the parliamentary precinct, the meeting begin after fifteen (15) minutes, regardless of members present”.

It is simple. The motion says the complete opposite of what you are saying, Mr. Gourde. We are not going to keep the witnesses waiting. They will be able to give their testimony.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

We must make sure, especially when we travel, that the chair and the people working for us who must be on the committee are present. If something happens, someone will be held responsible.

That is the type of roadblock you are always trying to create; that is all part of your game.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you, Mr. Gourde.

Mr. Dionne Labelle, the floor is yours.

[Pierre Dionne Labelle, NDP, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Mr. Gourde's reasoning amazes me. He thinks that we will make the person who didn't show up take the blame for the meeting being cancelled. Yet it is the opposite. Even if a member does not show up, the meeting will be held. If we don't and if we tell the witnesses that they came for nothing because one of the members did not show up, that member will really have to carry the can.

I feel that it is the opposite of what you are saying.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Okay, thank you.

Ms. St-Denis, go ahead.

[Lise St-Denis, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

I am not sure if I am allowed, but I would like to introduce two motions. The first one has to do with what has already been introduced and agreed upon by everyone. We will see about the second one.

Can we proceed in that manner?

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

For the time being, we are debating Mr. Godin's motion, so it is up to him to decide.

Mr. Chisu, you have the floor.

[Corneliu Chisu, Conservative, Pickering—Scarborough East, ON]

Mr. Chair, the things I am hearing here, I'm a logical person and to me, a quorum is a quorum. Whether you are on the moon or anywhere else, it is a quorum. You cannot make a deviation from the quorum when you are discussing issues when something is happening. It is not a quorum. That's it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you, Mr. Chisu.

Mr. Williamson.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

I don't understand. We are the ones travelling. If some members are not at the location of the meeting, we will wait for them. If we want to hear from the witnesses in their ridings, they can wait for us. When they come here, we listen to them and then they go home, but , if we are the ones travelling, I think there should be enough members.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Are there any other comments?

Mr. Godin, would you like a recorded vote?

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

Yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

The clerk has the floor.

(Motion negatived: nays 7; yeas 4)

Are there any other routine motions the committee would like to consider?

Mr. Godin.

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

Let's try to look at a less complicated motion. I will start by reading the initial motion:

That 48 hours' notice be required for any substantive motion to be considered by the Committee, unless the substantive motion relates directly to business then under consideration; and that the notice of motion be filed with the Clerk of the Committee and distributed to members in both official languages.

I would add:

and that; (a) notice be emailed to the Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday; (b) notice be distributed by e-mail to members in both official languages by the Clerk on the same day the said notice was transmitted if it was received no later than the deadline hour; (c) notices received after the deadline hour be deemed to have been received during the next business day; and (d) this rule does not prevent a member to give notice of a motion orally during a meeting of the Committee, in which case notice shall be deemed to have been given before the deadline that day.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Is there debate?

Mr. Gourde, you may start. Ms. St-Denis will follow.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

Why complicate things when we can keep them simple? Our rules were relatively straightforward. Could the clerk tell me how we would operate based on the new motion? Does he see a problem with that? We can adapt to anything, but I feel things were working well before. Traditionally, that is how all committees have worked. This new measure will complicate things.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

I will give the floor to the clerk after Ms. St.-Denis.

[Lise St-Denis, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

I don't know which motion we are talking about.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

I am talking about the last motion.

[Lise St-Denis, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Okay, thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Is there anyone else who wants to speak to this motion before I give the floor to the clerk? I'm going to give him a minute to read the motion.

Mr. Chisu.

[Corneliu Chisu, Conservative, Pickering—Scarborough East, ON]

Why are we adding so much red tape? Forty-eight hours is forty-eight hours. What is the problem?

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you, Mr. Chisu.

I'll give the floor to the clerk.

[Chad Mariage, Procedural Clerk]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I will not give you my personal opinion. However, the addition seems feasible. The only new thing is the hour for the notice and the instructions to the clerk on how to distribute the motions. That is sort of how we do things already.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you.

Is there any other debate?

Mr. Nicholls.