Status of Women Committee on Feb. 5th, 2009

[Anita Neville, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

So moved.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Can the researcher come forward, please?

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

Bravo, Madame Morgan.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Could you just clarify something for me, Madam Chair? I'm new and I'm just learning the process. When we were discussing this motion that we just carried, I did have an amendment that I wanted to make. So my understanding was that we discussed the initial amendment, voted on that, but then I had an additional amendment that I wanted to recommend, but the motion was carried, and I did have my hand up.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

I don't think we saw you putting your hand up until after the vote was taken.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

It was actually just--

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

It was while it was being taken. But the vote had been called.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Can I just make a sort of...? The vote had been called?

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Yes, the vote had been called when you raised your hand.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

No, actually you were discussing the amendment that had been provided.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Then I didn't see your hand. I'm sorry, Madam Hoeppner. I only saw it after the vote was called.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Yes, I did have my hand up. You were discussing the amendment to that motion and then you--

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

We are actually dealing with routine motions at the moment. And let's finish with that please.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Yes, I realize that. I just had a point of order and I wanted to bring that to your attention, because I had put my hand up and I had wished to propose an amendment to the motion.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Fine.

So we should continue with the orders here, the motions on the routine motions.

The third motion is a reduced quorum:

That the chair be authorized to hold meetings to receive and publish evidence when a quorum is not present, provided that at least three members are present, including a member of the opposition.

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

I would like to see this motion amended. I think that because we have an opposition chair, we need to say if it's going to be three members, that's fine, including a member of the official government. Because we do have an opposition chair, this committee is a little bit different, and if you wanted to put “including four” so every party is represented, that's fine with me too.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Any discussion on this?

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

Madam Chair, this amendment presents a real problem.

If we agreed that we could hold discussions and receive witnesses even with a reduced quorum, it was because we wanted to be sure that we could hear the witnesses whose evidence costs us a lot of money and who use their own time to come before the committee.

If we now agree that there is to be a government member in the reduced quorum...we could have three people, but if one of them has to be a government member and the government is not in agreement with the meeting we are holding, the member will not show up and the meeting will not be held. I am completely against that.

As the motion is worded, it can be two government members and one opposition member. We ask that at least one opposition member be there, and that is very good. There could be two government members and then you would have the upper hand. There is no way I can agree to requiring a government member.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Any further discussion on this amendment as proposed by Madam Davidson?

Before you speak to this, any further discussion from anyone else? No?

Madam Davidson.

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I still stick with my amendment. I think it's extremely important when there is an opposition chair, and certainly if it were a government chair I would think that the way it's written here would be the only fair way to have it. So it's not an attempt at all, as far as I'm concerned, to have a government member not show up. I think the same comments can be said about any party, and I don't think that any of us sitting at this table have that intent anywhere here.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Ms. Mathyssen, in theory, when the mover of the amendment speaks we should close the debate, but I'll let you speak this time.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

I would simply like to say that I support Madame Demers because I have absolutely great faith in the fairness of the chair.

(Amendment negatived)

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

We are now voting on motion three as it stands.

Madam McLeod.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Can I suggest a subamendment, that a quorum consist of one member from each recognized party?

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

You may propose any amendment you like.