Evidence of meeting #69 for Public Accounts in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was meeting.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
John Williams Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
No, no. I have before me, Mr. Chairman, the orders of the day. I don't see it on the orders of the day.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Brian Fitzpatrick
Do we have unanimous agreement on the committee that there will be a meeting?
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Brian Fitzpatrick
Okay, well, that seems to resolve the matter. So we've agreed there will be a meeting.
Yes, Mr. Lake.
Conservative
Mike Lake Conservative Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB
On a point of order, there are other things in this letter having to do with witnesses who will be there and everything else. That is not part of what we're agreeing to.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Brian Fitzpatrick
I've made it abundantly clear, and I wish the members would listen to it, because under the rule it does not give this committee the power to decide who the witnesses will be and when the meeting will be held. All that's there is to decide whether there's a meeting.
We have a steering committee process and a process with the committee to deal with--
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Brian Fitzpatrick
Well, that's the clear reading of the rule as I see it, Borys.
Liberal
Borys Wrzesnewskyj Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON
No, you're quite correct, but let's take it to the next step. The letter compels the chair--and I believe it's within five days--
Conservative
Liberal
Borys Wrzesnewskyj Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON
--and it is on today's orders of the day. It's on today's order, so part of today's meeting is to deal with this particular motion, including when it will take place and the witnesses.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Brian Fitzpatrick
I don't see it that way. I interpret the rule as saying you have to.... What you've done is brought the matter before the committee to decide whether we're going to have the meeting. Within the five-day period you have to get on with the rest of the stuff.
Liberal
Borys Wrzesnewskyj Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON
Within five calendar days this has to be discussed at a meeting. It's not having a meeting with all of the witnesses, but the actual discussion that we should have right now about the witness list and the exact date for bringing those witnesses forward.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
You said the exact opposite before. Make up your mind.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
Make up your mind. A moment ago you said we couldn't discuss any of that.
Liberal
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Brian Fitzpatrick
The clerk is telling me that the subject matter of the meeting is proper at this stage.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
We need to move it to make it official; we need a motion.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Brian Fitzpatrick
Just a minute here.
I have Mr. Lake. Did you already speak on your point, Mr. Lake?
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Brian Fitzpatrick
Okay.
Mr. Laforest was next on the list, and then the Honourable Madame Sgro is after that.
Go ahead.
Bloc
Jean-Yves Laforest Bloc Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I think committee members were fairly clear when they tabled a motion on an issue which, in my opinion, had already been addressed by the letter signed by six or seven members. As far as that issue is concerned, it can be said that committee members covered all the bases.
From the moment the chairman received the letter, the steering committee should have decided on the date of the meeting. Indeed, under the standing orders, the meeting must be held. It seems very straightforward. Mr. Chairman, I have the impression that this discussion is going nowhere and that no one is really listening to what I am saying. In short, we should have the meeting, and it will be up to the steering committee to decide when. We have already identified the witnesses.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Brian Fitzpatrick
That is the normal procedure for dealing with matters. I would be much more comfortable following the process than turning this into a big steering committee. With the availability of witnesses, there are lots of matters like that that crop up. You can dictate what you want out of here, but there's a certain reality that I think people should be cognizant of. To try to micromanage that from this committee doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense to me.
Who's next on the list?