Evidence of meeting #1 for Public Accounts in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was amendment.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Clerk of the Committee  Ms. Caroline Massicotte
Édison Roy-César  Committee Researcher

9:15 a.m.

NDP

David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON

I need to get an indication, Chair, whether there is agreement to that, in which case....

9:15 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson

Well, that is what we do at a vote. You can read the—

9:15 a.m.

NDP

David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON

Well, that's what I'm trying to do, Chair, if you could help me maybe?

I'm trying to avoid getting caught up on this, and I'm just trying to get an indication from the government. I'm not sure who the lead is, but I'm just trying to get an indication of whether they agree or not because if they don't agree, then get a coffee because we're going to be here a while.

If we can agree that seven minutes is good, then I won't be a problem.

9:15 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson

Mrs. Mendès.

9:15 a.m.

Liberal

Alexandra Mendes Liberal Brossard—Saint-Lambert, QC

Mr. Chair, I move that we go with the PROC proposal, the seven-minute one, so that we can vote on it and get done with it.

9:15 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson

Do we have any...?

February 16th, 2016 / 9:15 a.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON

I'll second Madam Mendès' motion.

9:15 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson

Okay. Are you suggesting, then, that the order change?

9:15 a.m.

Liberal

Alexandra Mendes Liberal Brossard—Saint-Lambert, QC

Yes, I am suggesting that it would be Liberal, Conservative, NDP, Liberal.

9:20 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson

Mr. Poilievre.

9:20 a.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON

Madam Vice-Chair has just proposed that we adopt the PROC committee model with a seven-minute opening round, and I want to second that motion.

9:20 a.m.

Liberal

Alexandra Mendes Liberal Brossard—Saint-Lambert, QC

The order is, just to be sure, from the top: Liberal, Conservative, NDP, Liberal. That's what I'm proposing. Actually this is what Mr. Christopherson is proposing, and I am moving it.

9:20 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson

So this motion actually has become more than just what it was originally; in fact, it's changed. Even the amendment has changed from what was originally moved.

9:20 a.m.

NDP

David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON

I could use a little guidance from the chair, if he could help us.

It looked like there might be a majority in support of the PROC model, and if that's the case, one motion to that effect cleans this up.

9:20 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson

Okay. So the motion would basically read.... Give me a moment here.

9:20 a.m.

Liberal

Alexandra Mendes Liberal Brossard—Saint-Lambert, QC

That witnesses be given 10 minutes—

9:20 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson

That witnesses be given ten (10) minutes to make their opening statement; and that during the questioning of witnesses the time allocated to each questioner be as follows:

for the first round of questioning, seven (7) minutes to a representative of each party in the following order: Liberal, Conservative, NDP, Liberal;

for the second round, five (5) minutes be allocated in the following order: Conservative, Liberal, Conservative, Liberal; followed by NDP, three (3) minutes.

9:20 a.m.

Liberal

Alexandra Mendes Liberal Brossard—Saint-Lambert, QC

Two minutes.

9:20 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson

It's two minutes there.

9:20 a.m.

NDP

David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON

No, it's three. PROC has three.

9:20 a.m.

Liberal

Alexandra Mendes Liberal Brossard—Saint-Lambert, QC

It's two. It's fifty minutes in all.

9:20 a.m.

NDP

David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON

No, PROC stayed at three. Trust me.

9:20 a.m.

Liberal

Alexandra Mendes Liberal Brossard—Saint-Lambert, QC

No, it was three minutes in the former proposal. It's not 51 minutes; it's 50 minutes.

9:20 a.m.

NDP

David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON

No, at the last minute they amended it and left it at three. PROC has NDP at three, but it's never going to happen anyway.

9:20 a.m.

A voice

It is at three according to my—