Transport Committee on Feb. 3rd, 2016

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Yes.

[Vance Badawey, Liberal, Niagara Centre, ON]

So we could actually waive procedure. If in fact we do have more time, the chair could declare that we have more time; someone could put a motion forward to waive procedure; it could be voted on by the committee, and that extra time can be given.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Of course. The committee is always the master of its own time.

Ms. Block.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

I'll just follow up on a comment you made in terms of taking time away from the witnesses. With every study we may undertake, I would assume that when we propose witnesses and what the meetings are going to look like, we would determine whether we have one panel per hour, or have two hours with witnesses. I'm thinking that while it sounds like we're taking away time from witnesses, should we have three or four witnesses, they would still get their 10 minutes, and then the time remaining would start to follow this format. Also, we do have two-hour meetings.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

I think it's important that we be fair to everybody on the committee and that we give everyone a full opportunity to get their comments in and their questions answered as well.

Is there any further discussion on Ms. Block's amendment?

Mr. Badawey, the difficulty with trying to split between rounds one and two is that we're talking minutes, and if we add minutes in the upper round we have to take them away from round two, right? We're unable to split, so I think at this point....

Are there any other suggestions or comments?

Ms. Duncan.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

I have just one more.

From my experience in eight years here in committee, depending on what subject area we're covering, there is usually at least one person per party who has decided they're going to take the lead, and the decision is made by that party who is going to get the seven minutes. That is the reason often in committee the first round is allocated to somebody to give a little bit more time.

There has also been a practice that if I need only five minutes, I'm going to give the other two minutes to my colleague. It actually balances out. You work that out among yourselves. While this may look rigid, when you actually get down to the committee review, I think that what the Conservatives are putting forward looks like a fair allocation. What often happens is that a member will even waive their time and say they'd like their colleague to continue the line of questioning. Not everybody is always going to want to use their full time on everything, so there is a lot more flexibility than is simply presented in this allocation of time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Who is the mover on that one? I need a mover for this motion on time allotment and how we're going to deal with it.

It's moved by Mr. Badawey.

There is no further discussion being held on the amendment being put forward by Ms. Block.

(Amendment negatived)

We'll vote on the original motion that was put forward, which consists of round one: Conservatives, six minutes; Liberals six minutes; NDP, six minutes; Liberals, six minutes; and round two: Liberals, six minutes; Conservatives, six minutes; Liberals, six minutes; Conservatives, five minutes; NDP, three minutes.

(Motion agreed to)

I do want to say, though, that as the chair, I will be attempting to be as flexible as possible with our meetings to ensure that everyone gets full opportunity to participate and move forward.

Mr. Clerk, is there any other housekeeping that has to be done?

[The Clerk]

I believe that's all we have.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Now that we have that part behind us, I have a suggestion. Given the fact that there's a break week next week, and the steering committee's first opportunity to meet will be after we come back from break week, I want to suggest to the committee that if you like, I could turn around and have the clerk invite the two ministers to come for that first week when we come back, until the steering committee has had a chance to meet the Tuesday before our meeting, if possible.

If we invite the two ministers to come in on the Wednesday, which is our first meeting after we come back, and if the ministers are not available, we could try to invite Infrastructure Canada to give us an overview of where we are with the infrastructure programs.

Another option would be that we could invite FCM, or AMO, or the Union of British Columbia Municipalities, to give us something to do that first week.

We're looking to fill that first week until the steering committee's recommendations come back, which would be on the Wednesday, our first meeting, I hope. It takes us a period of time to get your witnesses in here, so my suggestion is that two ministers be invited, and hopefully they could come, but as alternatives for the clerk, Infrastructure Canada could be a second option, and a third option to fill that first week we're back could be representatives from FCM, the Union of British Columbia Municipalities, Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association, any of our municipal partners that represent the organizations. This would give the clerk something to work with while we're away so that we can get to work on the Wednesday that we come back.

Ms. Block, and then Ms. Duncan.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Madam Chair, I was going to seek unanimous consent to propose a motion that the committee invite the Minister of Transport to appear in front of this committee before March 15 for a televised session to discuss his mandate letter.

I was going to do that because I know we are going to head into a break week and it might be good to have something that we come back to.

I would make that motion if the committee is willing to entertain it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

You're saying specifically the Minister of Transport?

[Dianne Lynn Watts, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Do you want a separate motion for the Minister of Infrastructure?

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

My suggestion was that we invite both of them, because we really don't know what their schedules and availability are.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

That is why we said March 15. Before March 15 we don't know.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Okay. Are there any other comments?

Ms. Duncan.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

I'd like to speak to the motion. I think it's an excellent one. It gives flexibility on the dates.

I would propose that if we hear back from them, hopefully by the end of this week, and if neither minister is available on the Wednesday we come back, that instead the steering committee should meet, because we really should sit down and talk about what we think are the priorities for the committee before we start inviting people.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

The steering committee would be meeting independent of the large committee, and I'm hoping that the steering committee would be available on the Tuesday we come back, which would be February 16, and then be able to report back to the main committee on the Wednesday at our meeting.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

[Inaudible—Editor]

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

We can't presume that, which is the reason I suggested that we invite either the Minister for Infrastructure or the Minister of Transport to see if they would also be available to come that Wednesday so we would have enough to do on that agenda to move forward. That was the suggestion I put forward.

Mr. Badawey.

[Vance Badawey, Liberal, Niagara Centre, ON]

I have a couple of suggestions for the committee to consider.

First is to establish by motion the steering committee today.

Second is to try to come to some resolve with respect to which day we would initially meet.

Third, with respect to the motion on the floor, I would suggest that we dedicate one meeting per minister. That way we have the time to discuss the issues with that minister. If the first is the Minister of Transport, that would be appropriate, and that's fine. Then of course we could send an invitation to the Minister of Infrastructure following that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

We certainly can put the invite out. The problem becomes the ministers' schedules. That becomes the bigger challenge.

[Vance Badawey, Liberal, Niagara Centre, ON]

If I may, Madam Chair, I would like to see one minister invited at a time, versus both ministers at the same time, just to give us time to dedicate to those questions and those thoughts from both sides.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

We could invite one minister for one of our meetings, and subsequently the other, whichever one is available for the first or second meeting. The clerk will certainly do that at the direction of the committee.

The other thing is to make sure we have sufficient work to do. If neither minister is available the first Wednesday we are back, which is February 16, I have suggested that Infrastructure Canada be asked to come in and give us an overview. If not, we will discuss some recommendations on another issue.

Is that something we need a motion for?

[A voice]

Someone should move it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Okay.