Evidence of meeting #13 for Public Safety and National Security in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was witnesses.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
I would have a hard time with that, but we could have June 3 and June 8 for clause-by-clause. That would be two days at two hours each day.
Liberal
Mark Holland Liberal Ajax—Pickering, ON
We have to report it back by June 11, Chair. There could be considerable debate in clause-by-clause consideration. There's one clause on which there could be a lot of debate, folks, and we just spent three and a half hours on the setting of the witnesses. I don't doubt our ability to protract the process.
As an amendment to the amendment, I'm moving that the meeting of June 3 be for unlimited duration.
Conservative
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
I wish to move an amendment. It could read as follows: “That the committee devote six meetings to hearing the ten witnesses, on May 4, 6, 13, 25, 26 and 27.”
So we would be done in May. We could do the clause-by-clause study on the 1st and the 3rd, as agreed. It would not change anything. We would have just one special meeting, Wednesday, for two hours.
Is that good?
Conservative
Phil McColeman Conservative Brant, ON
That would be to a maximum of two meetings. It should be the same.
Conservative
Rick Norlock Conservative Northumberland—Quinte West, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Would Madame Mourani please repeat her suggestion? I think it's going down the right path.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
It could say: “That the committee devote six meetings to hearing the ten witnesses, on May 4, 6, 13, 25, 26 and 27.” That way, the only special meeting not included in our regular schedule would be Wednesday, May 26. So we would simply be done at the end of May. Our work on the correctional services report would be postponed until June, which would give the analysts even more time. We could have the hearing, the clause by clause on the 1st and the 3rd, as agreed. It would be done.
Liberal
Mark Holland Liberal Ajax—Pickering, ON
I think Mr. McColeman had a good suggestion, that on the two meetings in June we extend the sitting by two hours on each. If we do that, then--
Liberal
Mark Holland Liberal Ajax—Pickering, ON
Well, we said we have two meetings at the beginning of June to go clause by clause. If we were efficient, we'd get out of there, maybe in two hours, and we'd only need one meeting. But if there isn't consensus, we can come back to this point.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
Can I suggest that we really don't have to deal with this at this point?
Liberal
Mark Holland Liberal Ajax—Pickering, ON
I can live with the motion, that's fine. I thought Mr. McColeman was making a suggestion. He's apparently not making that suggestion, so let's continue. Let's deal with this--
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
I think we can deal with this motion. This is getting so convoluted, we don't even know what we're doing any more.
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
Which one are we on here? We are on the amendment for the dates.
Do you all have the dates straight? Are you all clear? Mr. Norlock asked for a clarification.
(Amendment agreed to) [See Minutes of Proceedings]
Okay, that's carried.
Now let's go to the main amendment, which is a limit of two witnesses per whatever time slot there, with a total of ten-minute presentations from them.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
Oh, the main motion. Sorry. Okay, that one was passed. Yes, we even voted on that. I told you it's confusing.
Liberal
Mark Holland Liberal Ajax—Pickering, ON
Mr. Chair, it is confusing. I apologize. Sometimes it's easier to have a motion on the floor and to work with a motion.
Anyway, the last amendment I'll make, and I promise this is my last one, but I think it's extremely important, because they're the people more responsible and charged with this issue--