Transport Committee on May 6th, 2014

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Hoang Mai]

Are there any comments?

Is there anything else?

Would you like to vote on this?

[Mike Sullivan, NDP, York South—Weston, ON]

Before we do, can I ask Mr. Watson if he's amenable to this. We apparently have until Thursday, May 15 to report back to finance.

[The Clerk of the Committee, Mr. Philippe Grenier-Michaud]

You have till 9 a.m.

[Mike Sullivan, NDP, York South—Weston, ON]

I have a question for the clerk. Other committees seem to have found more time to do more intense work. Why is this committee limited to the times that are set in spite of the fact that we seem to be running out of time, as we've now run out of time to do the rail portion of the study before we've heard from any of the insurers, etc?

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Hoang Mai]

I think the committee can make recommendations or decide and vote on how it wants to use its time. I haven't heard any recommendations or any suggestions in terms of changing it. There's no decision from the committee with respect to the time that it has been taking.

Mr. McGuinty.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

I'd like to make another point if I could, Mr. Chair, but it is unrelated. Let's deal with the motion first, and I'll come back to it.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Hoang Mai]

All in favour?

(Motion agreed to)

Mr. McGuinty.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Mr. Chair, this is something I've perhaps not raised before in this committee, but today was a wonderful example of powerful testimony. I think the clerk is put in a difficult situation because a number of the witnesses have briefs prepared to distribute in one language only. In my view, this is an impediment to members being able to perform properly at committee. Can we perhaps bring forward to next Thursday a discussion about how we can ensure that when witnesses show up here, their briefs have been submitted in advance and have been translated and distributed properly?

This is an ongoing challenge for committees, I know, but I think it's a basic courtesy at a minimum. Witnesses can submit their briefs earlier; they can be translated; and they can be distributed. It really means that each of us now has to go back and have our staff reread the testimony, or do it ourselves, in order to fully catch all of the testimony, which doubles the workload frankly. It's easier, and more efficient for us to have it in front of us. Maybe it's something we can take up on Thursday. It's just a suggestion for all of us to consider.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Hoang Mai]

Thank you very much, Mr. McGuinty.

Ms. Young.

[Wai Young, Conservative, Vancouver South, BC]

I agree with Mr. McGuinty. I would just like to know, because I'm new to this committee, whether they can submit their briefs regardless afterwards. We're always asking people to submit additional information.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Hoang Mai]

They can submit their brief afterwards, but then it has to be translated so we can all have it in both official languages.

[Wai Young, Conservative, Vancouver South, BC]

But eventually we do get that information?

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Hoang Mai]

Yes.

[Wai Young, Conservative, Vancouver South, BC]

Are they told to submit their brief?

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Hoang Mai]

If it's being tabled by witnesses, then it will be translated and distributed.

[Wai Young, Conservative, Vancouver South, BC]

Is it a standing protocol that they are told they can submit their brief and that we want it?

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Hoang Mai]

That's a question you might ask the clerk. Your question is whether or not they're being informed.

[Wai Young, Conservative, Vancouver South, BC]

That's it exactly, and also that we want the briefs.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Hoang Mai]

The clerk has confirmed that they are told.

[Wai Young, Conservative, Vancouver South, BC]

Thank you.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Hoang Mai]

You're welcome.

Mr. Watson.

[Jeff Watson, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Mr. Chair, those are questions that will obviously be relevant for the discussion on Thursday. I think we'll want to have a sense from the clerk about everything from how much advanced notice they have in terms of bookings, whether they were advised up front, and what the obstacles are to getting these in advance. I think we can explore that fully as a committee with a view to improving that as much as possible. If there are some structural factors we can move out of the way to allow that to happen, we should be examining those.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Hoang Mai]

Thank you, Mr. Watson.

Mr. Sullivan, do you have a question?

[Mike Sullivan, NDP, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Chair, in terms of process, is Thursday a subcommittee, a committee...or what's the agenda? Do we know?

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Hoang Mai]

We don't have any instructions. That's why I said the committee could choose its own schedule.

As I don't hear anything from the committee right now, eventually what will happen is that the clerk will work with the chair, and then we'll come up with a schedule.