Evidence of meeting #1 for Public Safety and National Security in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Liberal
Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON
In terms of travelling outside the parliamentary precinct, what we're doing right now is actually considered within the parliamentary precinct. Is that not correct? It's because it's a virtual Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
I would think that's true, but I can't make a ruling with regard to what constitutes parliamentary precinct and what doesn't.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
The next motion deals with the time for opening remarks and questioning of witnesses:
That at the discretion of the chair, witnesses be given 10 minutes for their opening statement; that, at the discretion of the chair, during the questioning of witnesses there be allocated six minutes for the first questioner of each party as follows: Round 1: Conservative Party, Liberal Party, Bloc Québécois, New Democratic Party; for the second and subsequent rounds, the order and time for questioning be as follows: Conservative Party, five minutes; Liberal Party, five minutes; Conservative Party, five minutes; Liberal Party, five minutes; Bloc Québécois, two and a half minutes; New Democratic Party, two and a half minutes.
Is that motion understood by everyone?
I see Kristina's hand up first.
Bloc
Kristina Michaud Bloc Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC
Mr. Chair, I believe the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs agreed to a new method, whereby the two and a half minutes allocated to the Bloc Québécois and the NDP respectively in the second round were moved to immediately after the first five minutes allocated to the Conservatives and Liberals respectively. The Conservatives and Liberals then have another five minutes each to complete the second round.
I'm not sure whether there was agreement among the party whips to do it that way, but it would ensure that the last parties on the list, which have the least amount of speaking time, aren't always cut off at the end. I know the idea was discussed, so I just want to know where things stand.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
The first round would remain the same. In the second round, just so that I understand it, the Conservatives would be five minutes and then the Bloc would be two and a half.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
I'm sorry. It would be the Liberals with five, and then the Bloc with two and a half...?
Liberal
Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON
It would be the Conservatives and Liberals with five, then the Bloc with two and a half, the NDP with two and a half, the Conservatives with five, and the Liberals with five. Isn't that right?
Liberal
Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON
If we're going to do that, Chair, it's important that we reduce the amount of witness time, even though you do an outstanding job of trying to keep everybody in line. I would suggest, even though it's at the discretion of the chair, that witnesses be given five to seven minutes. Then we can determine, depending on the panel, whether it will be five or seven. We've actually done that in the past.
Liberal
Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON
No, I mean five to seven. Witnesses would be given five to seven minutes for their opening statements.
Liberal
Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON
The rest is the same, and then there are the changes Kristina put forward.
Conservative
Damien Kurek Conservative Battle River—Crowfoot, AB
In the spirit of collaboration—it seems this is a group motion—I would add, after the “five minutes for opening statements”, “whenever possible witnesses provide the committee with their opening statements 72 hours in advance”.
Mr. Chair, is it amenable to you to have this collaborative effort on this amendment?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
That's a good idea.
Looking to the clerk here, does it need to be part of the routine motions?
That idea of requiring 72 hours, Damien, are you making it a requirement?
Conservative
Damien Kurek Conservative Battle River—Crowfoot, AB
I would add the words, “that whenever possible witnesses provide the committee with their opening statements 72 hours in advance”.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
We have three amendments, if you will, running simultaneously here. Kristina's motion is first up. The question I have of Kristina is whether she perceives Pam's amendment as a friendly amendment.
Bloc
Kristina Michaud Bloc Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC
Yes, I consider it a friendly amendment.
