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.
4:50 p.m.
Bloc
Jean-Yves Roy Bloc Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC
Mr. Williams made gratuitous accusations against Mr. Laforest. He named Mr. Laforest and accused him of violating parliamentary and committee privilege. That is exactly what he said, Mr. Chairman. This is unacceptable and that is why we are demanding an apology.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Brian Fitzpatrick
That isn't what I heard. That may be an interpretation you want to provide, but the chair did not hear those comments. I really think this is a matter of debate. I made a ruling that it's not a point of order.
I'd like to get on to our meeting today and get the opening statement from the Auditor General.
Borys.
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
Borys Wrzesnewskyj Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON
We have never had a steering committee meeting cancelled. I understand the regular chair is away today, as he was last week. I think a lot of these proceedings would proceed much more smoothly if steering committee meetings were not cancelled.
I would like to know exactly why you decided not to hold the steering committee meeting today.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Brian Fitzpatrick
There is no standard to have steering committees every Monday.
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
4:50 p.m.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
As a member of the steering committee, it was clearly understood—whether it was a motion, I don't know—since we began the RCMP pension scandal hearings that the steering committee would meet every Monday for the purposes of doing business. This is the first one that has been cancelled. It just happened to come around the same time that we were dealing with Borys' motion and Mr. Laforest's motion. It raised a lot of questions about why that meeting was set aside.
Might I also say—I'll be brief—that had we had that meeting, all that we've done today would have been gone over at least once by representatives of each caucus and that we may not have had this free-for-all.
I think it's fair for you to give us an explanation of why we didn't have that steering committee, sir.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Brian Fitzpatrick
It was my understanding that on the weekend I'd be back here and the regular chair would be back. I came in very late and got to the office very late this morning and—
4:50 p.m.
NDP
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Brian Fitzpatrick
The clerk's position is that unless the chairs bring it forward you don't have a steering committee meeting. I've been around here long enough, and we went for long periods of time when we didn't have a steering committee every week. You only had a steering committee meeting when the need arose.
4:50 p.m.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
That's what we were going to do in this instance. We've been doing it with the other chair, and then you came.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Brian Fitzpatrick
I assumed that Mr. Murphy would be back on Monday. He's the chair; I'm not the chair.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Brian Fitzpatrick
So why would I call a meeting when I didn't understand that I'd be the chair?
4:50 p.m.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
The wording in the e-mail I got was that you had cancelled it. That's an aggressive action, but you didn't take that. Then I would ask the clerk why we didn't have the regular meeting.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Brian Fitzpatrick
I apologize to committee members for this misunderstanding, but I didn't assume I would be the chair today. So it came as a surprise this morning to find out I would be.
4:50 p.m.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
I'd like to hear the clerk explain why he didn't schedule the meeting.
4:50 p.m.
The Clerk
The clerk doesn't schedule the meeting. The clerk calls the meeting after being ordered by the chair.
4:55 p.m.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
But the chair had a standing order that we would meet as a steering committee every Monday. Wouldn't you just go ahead and make sure that happened, unless you were directed by the chair or acting chair of the day to cancel it?
June 18th, 2007 / 4:55 p.m.
The Clerk
The chair is not in town.
4:55 p.m.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
Exactly, so you should have scheduled it.
That's fine, Chair. Thank you.
4:55 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
Point of order, Mr. Chair. I don't think it's appropriate—