Transport Committee on June 3rd, 2010

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

I understand what Monsieur Laframboise is saying. I, quite frankly, see no difficulty with it, except that it's been 50 years now and it would be nice. I also see no difficulty with changing National Capital Commission to the minister, if that would be the preference of the Liberal members or the Bloc, if that would be more satisfactory to them, because we could have it within three years and the minister would make that determination in relation to the funds, in relation to all of the rest. So certainly that would be in order if it would be acceptable.

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

I can move a subamendment. The sentence would read as follows:

[...] later than three years after the day on which sufficient funds, as determined by the Minister, have been raised under subsection 7(2).

It would be up to the minister to decide. Given the pressure that will be on him, I think it will be done in less than three years.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

As I understand it then, the change is to the minister as opposed to the Commission de la capitale nationale.

I have Mr. Bevington on my list.

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

I'm good with the amendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Now we are debating the subamendment by Monsieur Laframboise. I would ask if there's any debate on it.

(Subamendment agreed to)

(Amendment agreed to on division)

(Clause 9 as amended agreed to on division)

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

We're moving to new clause 10.

Mr. Jean, are you presenting G-10?

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

Yes, Mr. Chair, I am.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Please proceed.

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

Thank you.

Mr. Chair, what we're proposing are clauses 10, 11(1), and 11(2), and I'll deal with the first one.

We believe as a government that the council should submit an annual report to the minister on its activities. The first report should be--

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Mr. Jean, if I may interrupt, you've stated it correctly, but the information I'm getting is that actually instead of subclauses 11(1) and 11(2), they should actually be two stand-alone clauses.

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

Clauses 11 and 12.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

It would be two separate amendments, one for clause 10 and one for clause 11.

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

Certainly. I'm prepared to deal with them that way.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Okay. So we'll deal with clause 10.

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

It's simply that the council shall be accountable and, as such, report to the minister on its activities within 15 months after the day on which the council is established under section 4 and thereafter annually.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Monsieur Laframboise.

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

I would like to move a subamendment. It would read as follows:

[...] shall submit an annual report to the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities on its activities.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

So the subamendment would read that:

The Council shall submit an annual report to the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities on its activities.

Debate?

Mr. Volpe.

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

Mr. Chairman, as much as I applaud the effort by the Bloc to recapture the importance of the reporting mechanism, it still has to go to the minister. We have made him responsible. His responsibilities are also to receive the reports. If we say it comes directly to this committee, then we are absolving him of the responsibility we have accepted. He cannot delegate.

So perhaps, with all due respect, my Bloc colleagues would amend it a little differently. I propose, for example, that:

The Council shall submit an annual report to the Minister and to the Transport Committee.

And whatever is the appropriate translation. Then I think his intention and the propriety of the process would be well served.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

One challenge with submitting it to the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities is the fact that there are times when that committee doesn't exist and may or may not exist in the future, subject to governments changing that particular department.

The suggestion I have is that it should make an annual report to the minister and the House, which can then be referred to the....

Mr. Watson.

[Jeff Watson, Conservative, Essex, ON]

I'm sorry, can you state again what the suggestion is?

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Because the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities may change over time--it was originally once called the Department of Transport--if we take that reference out and refer the report to the minister and the House, then the House will have the ability to refer it to the appropriate committee.

Mr. Watson.

[Jeff Watson, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Then I do have a question. How does the council submit an annual report to the House of Commons? I can understand submitting a report to the minister, who can then table it in the House of Commons.

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

It could be “to the Minister and through the Minister to the House of Commons or the appropriate committee”.

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

Then the committee can deal with it at the committee level. If they want to report anything to the House, that would be up to the committee to decide.