Public Accounts Committee on Nov. 2nd, 2011

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

I would be happy, in the spirit of parliamentary cooperation, to defer my questions to Ms. May.

[A voice]

Your “question” or “questions”?

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

I gather you mean your “time”?

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

Ms. May.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Thank you very much.

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

I'm trying to help out.

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

Really, colleagues? I mean, the person who has the least amount of time is the one who's going to accommodate? That's okay?

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

That is the Liberal Party of Canada way, Mr. Chairman.

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

You occupy the high road alone.

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

Therefore....

All right, Monsieur Caron, just quickly.

[Guy Caron, NDP, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

I thought that…

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

We're taking more time debating it than doing it.

[Guy Caron, NDP, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

I thought that the motion of the Conservatives presented on Monday meant that we would spend two hours with our witnesses. We unanimously agreed to shorten this meeting by 15 minutes. So I think we should continue until 5:15 p.m., following the rotation. I remember that when we discussed the rotation, we also agreed to the principle that the same party could not intervene twice in a row to ask questions.

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

All right.

I'm hearing--and I'll take it as a motion--that we would continue to do rotational questions until such time as we hit 5:15. In the rotation, Mr. Byrne has generously offered his spot to Ms. May. That's the issue before us.

Is there any further discussion?

Mr. Byrne.

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

It has normally been the practice of this committee that whatever the committee's reception of evidence, as we're hearing from those appearing before us and those appearing as witnesses before us, that if we do have to interrupt the normal proceedings of the committee, we actually ask the witnesses, and those appearing before us, to appear again.

So would it be possible, Mr. Chair, to ask Minister Baird, and more particularly Minister Clement, if they would come before us again?

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

Minister Baird is indicating he's ready to respond.

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Thank you very much.

I am inspired by Gerry Byrne's non-partisan nature in wanting to assist our colleague and friend from the Green Party.

Could I suggest, though, that we just sit until 5:20, go with the normal rotation until 5:15, and then allow Ms. May to speak? I'm prepared to stay to hear her time.

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

You were fine until you started talking about who's going to speak—

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

—and then you crossed the line, Minister.

I hear what you have to say, but the matter is still before the committee.

Is there further discussion?

Mr. Byrne.

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

Mr. Chair, I'd like to entertain a suggestion that was made by Minister Baird. I'd like to repeat his statement on the record and simply ask if the committee would consider it—that we hear the testimony of the ministers and the witnesses appearing before us until 5:20, as Minister Baird did suggest.

And John, I appreciate the compliment. Thank you.

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Give, give, give, Gerry—that's what I do.

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

Hold on, Minister, please; you're not being helpful.

Mr. Saxton.