Transport Committee on March 27th, 2012

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Given that you have given me the floor, I would ask that we proceed immediately to the vote on my motion, since it is clear that the government will agree. I would like us to vote on my motion immediately, and I can do it at any time.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Thank you.

Go ahead, Mr. Poilievre.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

The motion I have in front of me just requires a small housekeeping change to remove the invitation for the minister. Of course, the minister has already been here on this subject.

Other than that, we should be able to proceed. I think that would probably just be a friendly amendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Go ahead, Monsieur Coderre.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Mr. Chair, our meeting with the minister today was on the estimates. Because of what is happening with the corridor and security, questions came up. I don't see why we would make a change. The minister could give testimony after the members of the committee have heard from the other witnesses. I feel that it is appropriate for him to be here. If the members of the government party don't want that, we will have to vote against their motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

I have Mr. Holder, and then Ms. Morin.

[Ed Holder, Conservative, London West, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

It's interesting that although my colleague talks about this meeting being on the estimates, there was not one question that he asked on the estimates. All he did was ask the minister, as is his right, about the very serious situation as it relates to Aveos. I think it's been fairly clear that he's done that.

If he had wanted to spend this time on the main estimates, as I think we should have done, then that was his opportunity to do so. He asked not one question. I think it's very clear that the minister has been forthright and candid about it, and we've been assured that there is more information coming to our next meeting this Thursday.

Pierre Poilievre, my colleague, has made a suggestion of a friendly amendment. If it's not going to be friendly, then I would like to make an amendment to that motion through you, Chair, if it's appropriate, because I think it's been fairly clear that the minister has been forthright. I'm quite prepared to support the motion with the exclusion of the reference to the Minister of Transport being invited to attend, because he's been here and I think has provided very full disclosure.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

There is a motion on the floor, with an amendment coming from Mr. Holder. I'll read it first to make sure we're clear in our understanding. It reads:

That following the March 19, 2012 closure of Aveos Fleet Performance Inc., the committee invite...

There you would eliminate “the Minister of Transport”--

[Ed Holder, Conservative, London West, ON]

It would read:

...Ministry of Transport officials, representatives from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Aveos representatives and Air Canada representatives to discuss Air Canada and its legal obligations under the Air Canada Public Participation Act, in particular section 6(d).

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

The crux of the amendment is that the committee invite the minister's officials--

[Ed Holder, Conservative, London West, ON]

That's correct.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

--and representatives from the International...

We have an amendment to the motion. Is there any comment?

Go ahead, Ms. Chow.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Whether the amendment passes or not, I have a second amendment. Do you want to deal with this one first, and then do you want to hear mine also? You can deal with it separately, but I have a separate amendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

I think we can hear it, sure.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Okay. It would be that a report from such study be concluded by the end of the April 3, 2012, meeting and that such report be tabled in the House of Commons.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Go ahead, Monsieur Coderre.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

I would take it as a friendly amendment and make it part of it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Mr. Poilievre, did you have a comment?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

Could you read that--

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

It would basically request the committee to report the results from such study, to be concluded by the end of April 3, and report it to the House.

I'm not sure we could report it that day, but we'd have to formulate a small report from the committee.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

Is it that you just want to have the study completed by April 3? Is that the essence of...?

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

There are two parts. My amendment is so that we wouldn't take a long time; we would have two or three meetings. I would imagine if the meetings are this coming Thursday and next Tuesday, we would have a report ready, and that report would be forwarded to the House of Commons.

Right now this motion does not.... There will be a discussion on this motion. I want whatever discussion we come up with to go to the House. I'm sure there will be a report, and that report, if the committee chooses to, at the latest should be finished by April 5, and then it should be tabled in the House of Commons.

I think the wording “that it be reported to the House of Commons” is standard wording in a lot of motions that you have seen from me in the past.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Do you have any comments, Mr. Poilievre?

I think by putting a deadline of April 3 on it we might not be able to hear from everybody we need to hear from.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Well, it could be concluded by April 5.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

At the conclusion of the study we can make a report?