Evidence of meeting #40 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 transport.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:10 p.m.
Bloc
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
The marine industry is changing so much that it's important for workers to be involved in discussions on the industry's future. In the Maritimes, except in some rare instances, every single person who is taking part in these discussions is incapable of piloting a ship. The industry is changing and employees deserve to be involved in discussions. There's a good reason why the request is being made today, instead of three or four years ago.
The industry is changing quickly and employees need to be involved in the policy development process. Recommendations are made and reports are tabled, but subsequently, employees must formulate their own recommendations. Involving them in the discussions would have been a time-saving initiative for everyone. This is particularly true for the marine industry which is enjoying significant growth.
I agree with Mr. Bell that the current council should be expanded.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'd like to take Mr. Jean's argument one step further. Obviously, labour has other means of communicating with the minister. They may feel they're not as effective as perhaps doing it through this council; however, if in fact the current stakeholders of the council feel it's helpful to have labour involved as a member of the council, it seems to me that this should be forthcoming from the members of council at this point in time. This motion, of course, compels or certainly recommends that the minister change the makeup of this council, to compel that there be a seat for labour.
My concern is this. If in fact the council welcomes the involvement of labour, we should hear about it from the current council members. They can confirm what Mr. Bell has already said, and everything is fine. We probably won't even need a motion.
However, if the council and the current stakeholders say there are things they would like to dialogue on and that such a dialogue would be hindered with the involvement of labour, at that point in time, even if we do appoint someone from labour to the council, the members of the council will likely say they have no need for this council, that they don't feel comfortable within it, and it will disappear on its own.
We're frustrating the process by moving ahead with a motion today. I would love to follow through on Mr. Bell's suggestion. It's his indication that in fact the current members of the council would welcome labour's involvement. If that's correct, we as a committee should know that. We can go ahead and vote for the motion if that's necessary. Likely, the minister would act unilaterally to do that because of the request from the current members.
With what we're doing here, we may be biting off our noses to spite our faces by actually imposing the will of this committee or the will of the minister on the council, when the council members may in fact say they don't welcome labour's involvement and are just going to walk away from the council altogether.
I would ask Mr. Julian to agree to deferral of this motion until we've had a chance to hear from the current council members.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
Thank you, Mr. Fast.
I do just want to refer the committee to the motion. It says, “the Committee recommend to the Government”.
Mr. Julian.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
On a point of order, Mr. Chair, I want it on the record that we don't believe there's enough information to make a valid decision, based on what Mr. Bell has brought forward today.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
It's not a point of order, but it will appear on the record. Thank you.
We've seen the motion in front of us.
(Motion agreed to on division)
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
Joe Volpe Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
Very quickly, in a prior committee meeting we had discussed at some length the issue of bringing the minister before the committee for estimates. I want to make sure we are still on that tack. Unless we're in the middle of an election, of course, I would expect that the estimates will be available in the not too distant future. At the very first opportunity once the estimates are made available, we should actually bring the minister before us to address the estimates.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
I'm happy to advise the member that paragraph 4 says that we recommend that the committee invite the minister to appear before the members.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
