Transport Committee on Feb. 12th, 2007

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

We have confirmed those for Wednesday, just simply because of the timeframe. We have done a call-through on the list that was presented to the committee the other day, and I'm hoping that after Wednesday I'll be able to meet with the subcommittee and confirm the names on the list.

Mr. Jean.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

I want to bring to the new committee members that I think Ms. Greene has been here once or twice in front of our committee already—

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Once.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

—and I know that on two separate occasions I asked her for a meeting and she always responded quickly. So I don't know; it must be something of great importance.

I'm curious about the other witnesses, though, at the same time, because I know Mr. Laframboise had especially requested that CUPW representatives and Ms. Greene attend at the same time. I don't know the will of the committee, but that's what he had suggested.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

No, it is still my plan to have them both attend at the same time.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

Then as far as Wednesday goes, what would be our...?

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

On Wednesday we would be doing Transport 2000, and Mr. Julian has advised us that he will be tabling his motion in regard to the National Marine Council.

We are trying to add another witness if we can, but due to the short notice, it has been a little more difficult. I can assure the committee that I'll be diligent in confirming Ms. Greene to the committee.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

Just being proactive and understanding from history, should we maybe set aside four or five hours for Mr. Julian's motion at that time?

That was for the record. And it's not even Friday.

[An hon. member]

He's not here to defend himself.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Mr. Volpe.

[Joe Volpe, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

It being only Monday, Mr. Chairman, I'm just a little bit befuddled by the turn of events—I really am, sincerely—because without revealing the substance of the discussion in camera of the committee that was setting the agenda, you'll recall that there was a sense of urgency about trying to speak with Madame Greene and others, given the rush of the timetable that was coming upon us.

If I understand correctly what you said, we probably will not see Ms. Greene until sometime towards the end of March, because it is your expectation that she might be available for the end of February, but you have no indication that this is going to be the case. So, of course, the only way we could speak to her would be next week, and then after that we're gone for a couple of weeks at least.

I'm wondering, why this turn of events? What is so urgent for Madame Greene that she couldn't come here, especially given the government member's suggestion that she has always made herself available? As I say, I don't want to reveal the substance of the discussion in the last meeting, but there's a series of inconsistencies here that are puzzling, quite frankly.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

It's my understanding that something obviously very important to her has come up. It was Ms. Greene's suggestion, the date of February 14, and I presume something dramatic has changed that.

I know from experience in the last session with this committee that if we felt or if there were a thought that a witness was avoiding us, we did have the power, and we actually executed that power, to bring somebody in, pretty much on a command performance.

[Joe Volpe, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

The reason I'm asking the question is that given the circumstances that the committee was going to impose on the meeting...whether it's those circumstances that prompted a request for deferral.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

I don't believe that to be the case.

Mr. Jean.

[Joe Volpe, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Is this based on faith or on fact?

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

I'll defer to Mr. Jean.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

I have no first-hand knowledge, but I understand that the witnesses who were coming forward on Wednesday had no problem with the issue that we discussed and the result of it. My understanding is that they were still coming at that time.

I do want to make mention of two things, though. The notice of motion that was put forward, I believe, if you read it, dealt only with the issue of remailers. The discussion we had also affected the rural mail, and we wanted some answers on rural mail as well. So I would say that the original motion didn't talk about rural mail; it just talked about remailers.

Also, to be fair to Ms. Greene, I've asked for her to be in attendance, including the committees, three or four times now, and she has always made time to see me, even about other caucus members' questions, from all parties.

She has a huge corporation of 70,000 employees to run. I'm sure that if she's asking to be excused from the committee, she has other business to attend to that must be of some sort of urgent nature. I would suggest at this time, and, quite frankly, we passed that motion fairly strongly, all of us did, and I think the reality is, let's get on to other business.

We have Bill C-6. I don't think the remailer issue is a major one at this time. Rural mail is an issue, but they have a directive. I did have a briefing from Canada Post on that particular directive and what they were doing, so they were going to come forward and report to us what they were going to do on rural mail as well as remailers. I think the directive is up in another 30 or 40 days. I don't think there's any rush in relation to that particular issue.

But certainly, we—and I think Ms. Greene—are open to another date.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

I will contact Ms. Greene's office directly and try to bring to committee as early as Wednesday a firm date for when she will appear.

Monsieur Laframboise.

[Mario Laframboise, Bloc, Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC]

I'm listening to what the parliamentary secretary is saying. Although this question may not be important to him, perhaps it is to others. Do you understand?

Let's be very clear. I don't want the opinion of the parliamentary secretary, who does not want her to appear before this committee, to prevent us from having her appear. If that is the case, we will respond accordingly, and he does not constitute the majority. I want him to understand this.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

I will report back to the committee on Wednesday on any correspondence I've had with her at that point.

Monsieur Bélanger.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

We obviously put out the notice for the meeting on Wednesday before confirming the witnesses.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

No, they were confirmed.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

So the witnesses were confirmed, and after confirmation they asked not to appear?

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

This was the date Ms. Greene put forward to us as one she could work into her schedule.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Did we reconfirm on Friday before putting out the notice?