Evidence of meeting #23 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was agency.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:15 p.m.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
I haven't looked at the supplementary estimates, but I'm wondering whether the main estimates and the supplementary.... I don't know whether there were any new additions in the supplementary. Maybe there were none. I'm wondering whether you want to just do both at the same time.
That's just a question. Then we wouldn't have to go back into looking at the supplementary. Maybe there are no additions whatsoever, and there's no question. Normally there would be.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
Thank you, sir.
We don't have to review the supplementary estimates until December 15 or thereabouts. Our concern was that we wanted to be able to move the agenda forward of the legislation. Also, we have until November 10 to deal with the main estimates, and that's why we thought we would do that.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
Yes, we have a deadline for the main estimates, and that's why we would prefer doing that, if that would meet the will of the committee, rather than tying ourselves up with something that we'd still have time to do afterwards.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
Francis Scarpaleggia Liberal Lac-Saint-Louis, QC
What is the length of time that the minister will appear for? I believe Mr. Jean said one hour.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
I said that at this stage it looks like he has at least an hour. We're inviting him, as you know. He's indicated to me that it's likely he's going to have at least an hour, depending on his availability, of course. As you know, this is an invitation, not a summons, and he is, of course, going to come forward and defend the Liberal estimates as best he can.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
That's what they are. They're Liberal estimates.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
Francis Scarpaleggia Liberal Lac-Saint-Louis, QC
For the record, I sit on other committees, and it seems that whenever a minister comes, they only come for an hour. I'm wondering if that's not a strategic move across all committees. I wanted to put that down, and hopefully the minister will stay longer than an hour.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
Brian Storseth Conservative Westlock—St. Paul, AB
A point of clarification, I guess, Mr. Chair. I was at the aboriginal affairs committee this morning where the minister stayed for an hour and a half and still took questions beyond that. So it is clearly not a strategy of the government. It is very open and very accountable.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
Andy Scott Liberal Fredericton, NB
Mr. Chair, it is very telling that they're celebrating an hour and a half, because the reality is that it is very unusual that you don't get two hours with the minister on estimates; it is very, very unusual.
It is not really an invitation. I think that somehow suggests we should appreciate the fact that he is showing up. The reality is that it is expected of a minister to show up to defend his estimates before this committee.
I suggest that we ask him for two hours. I don't care so much whether it is in our normal sitting time, frankly, but I think we need to have the time with the minister to do this. It is an opportunity to discuss generally the minister's work and so on.
The whole notion of it, if he is available and if we make it an hour, is a little bit of a reversal of the way this has generally been done, in my experience.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
Mr. Scarpaleggia, of course, was on the environment committee when we invited Minister Dion to come, and of course he didn't show up at all. So let's put that in context. Of course, we gave him three weeks to show up, and in this particular case we've given the minister three days.
So I think, with respect, we are inviting the minister to come to do this and at the last minute; if he provides that information to us, I think that is being very reasonable to the committee and very reasonable of the minister, quite frankly.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
I guess, Mr. McGuinty, you're amenable to the amendment by Mr. Laframboise, so I ask the clerk to read the motion, as amended.
November 2nd, 2006 / 5:15 p.m.
The Clerk of the Committee
The motion is that the committee invite the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities to appear by Thursday, November 9, 2006, to discuss the main estimates for the fiscal year 2006-2007.
I may also repeat it in French, if you wish:
That the committee invite the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities to appear by Thursday, November 9, 2006 to discuss the Main Estimates for the fiscal year 2006-2007.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
Shall the amendment pass?
(Amendment agreed to)
Shall the motion as amended carry?
(Motion as amended agreed to)
We will now move to the second motion that we have in front of us. I believe everyone has a copy.
The motion has been presented by Mr. Julian and I open the floor for discussion.
Ms. Chow.
5:15 p.m.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
Mr. Chair, thank you very much for the opportunity to quickly discuss this. I won't take much time.
Mr. Tassé's report has been released. It is a good size. It is 110 pages. Judging from the media interest, a lot of people are quite interested in it. I believe the media briefing took an hour and a half, at least, so obviously people are interested in looking into it.
However, understanding your very important agenda in studying Bill C-11 and also the budget estimates and the supplementary estimates, yes, I totally agree. And there is the infrastructure discussion that I remember from last week.
If the committee is in favour of this recommendation, I have no problem having that discussion after you finish the clause-by-clause study of the bill. I understand that, because the bill has gone through various Parliaments and has ended up not getting through. I totally understand that we need to get Bill C-11 done, get the estimates done, get those things done. Even the infrastructure some people said was quite important, so I don't mind having all of that go ahead, and then hopefully we will still be here and we will look at the Tassé report.
I wonder whether that is appropriate for people.