Evidence of meeting #26 for Science and Research in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was witnesses.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Taleeb Noormohamed Liberal Vancouver Granville, BC
Madam Chair, obviously people have submitted witness lists. I gather the tri-councils aren't able to come until later.
If we can't get people to come to the next meeting or on Monday, is there some value in consolidating them into one meeting and not wasting everybody's time with one or two witnesses? How do others feel about that?
Conservative
Liberal
Liberal
Taleeb Noormohamed Liberal Vancouver Granville, BC
My suggestion, if we don't have enough witnesses for a full roster for Thursday, is that perhaps we can consolidate them all on the following Monday so that we have one robust meeting rather than two meetings.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
The clerk added, which I missed, that on Thursday, the second hour can be committee business if members are okay to discuss one or two things.
Conservative
Tony Baldinelli Conservative Niagara Falls—Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
We could do that, but if we could get more....
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
Members will have to send a list of witnesses if we want to have more witnesses.
Go ahead, MP Ho.
Conservative
Vincent Ho Conservative Richmond Hill South, ON
I'm sorry, but whose turn is it to speak? Is it my turn?
Liberal
Conservative
Vincent Ho Conservative Richmond Hill South, ON
We could even shorten the number of meetings for this study if we're having trouble finding witnesses.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
The clerk has gone through all the witnesses, and this motion asks for at least four meetings. If members want, we can go into that.
MP Blanchette-Joncas.
Bloc
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I can tell you clearly that we have suggested additional witnesses to the clerk. I think it would be respectful to consider that before deciding on something else and possibly thinking that these people would not be available to come and testify as part of this important study.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
Will you be sending a list with more witnesses before the end of the day today?
February 23rd, 2026 / 5:35 p.m.
Liberal
Sukh Dhaliwal Liberal Surrey Newton, BC
On a point of order, Madam Chair, can we discharge the witnesses?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
Yes. I'm sorry. Thanks for saying that.
Thanks a lot to all the witnesses for appearing before the committee and for contributing to this study. If you desire, you can leave.
MP Blanchette-Joncas.
Bloc
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC
Madam Chair, it has indeed already been sent to the clerk. We have a list of witnesses, no problem. I believe we will be able to continue this study.
Conservative
Vincent Ho Conservative Richmond Hill South, ON
If the clerk has already contacted the witnesses—it looks like he got the full list—and if witnesses can't make the time to appear, it would be prudent to shorten this study by maybe a meeting or two so we can continue the important work that this committee has to do on other studies and subjects of interest.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
Thank you, MP Ho.
MP Blanchette-Joncas indicated that he has sent a list for more witnesses, so I will ask the clerk to look into that and whether we can get them for the Monday after the break week, which is March 9.
Liberal
Liberal
Taleeb Noormohamed Liberal Vancouver Granville, BC
Are witness slots not determined by seats in the House and by composition of the chamber? If so, we need to think about that in our consideration of how many spots we're allocating and where.
