I'd like to support what my NDP colleague just said.
Currently, it says one representative per party. So I do not see the point of making any changes, since, no matter what happens with the vice-chairs, the motion before us will be valid.
Evidence of meeting #1 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 43rd Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was subcommittee.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Bloc
Xavier Barsalou-Duval Bloc Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC
I'd like to support what my NDP colleague just said.
Currently, it says one representative per party. So I do not see the point of making any changes, since, no matter what happens with the vice-chairs, the motion before us will be valid.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Vance Badawey
Mr. Doherty? Okay.
I'll call the vote right now if there are no further questions or comments.
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Vance Badawey
We're voting on the main motion.
Are we voting on the amendment first...?
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Vance Badawey
Okay.
We're voting on the main motion.
(Motion agreed to)
Mr. Sidhu.
Liberal
Maninder Sidhu Liberal Brampton East, ON
On reduced quorum, I move:
That the Chair be authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence and to have that evidence printed when a quorum is not present, provided that at least four (4) members are present, including one member of the opposition and one member of the government, but when travelling outside the parliamentary precinct, that the meeting begin after fifteen (15) minutes, regardless of members present.
Liberal
NDP
Taylor Bachrach NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would like to put forward an amendment, if I may, to replace the words after “are present” with “including two members from the opposition and two members from the government”.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Vance Badawey
Are there questions or comments on the amendment?
(Amendment agreed to)
(Motion as amended agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Thank you.
Mr. Sidhu.
Liberal
Maninder Sidhu Liberal Brampton East, ON
On the questioning of witnesses, I move:
That witnesses be given ten (10) minutes for their opening statement; that, at the discretion of the Chair, during the questioning of witnesses, there be allocated six (6) minutes for the first questioner of each party as follows: Round 1:
Conservative Party
Liberal Party
Bloc Québécois
New Democratic Party
For the second and subsequent rounds, the order and time for questioning be as follows:
Conservative Party, five (5) minutes
Liberal Party, five (5) minutes
Conservative Party, five (5) minutes
Liberal Party, five (5) minutes
Bloc Québécois, two and a half (2.5) minutes
New Democratic Party, two and a half (2.5) minutes
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Vance Badawey
Thank you, Mr. Sidhu.
Are there any questions or comments?
Mr. Berthold.
Conservative
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. It makes me feel funny to call you that. That's a good thing. I congratulate you.
During the last session, we had difficulties with the time allocated to witnesses. It says: "That ten (10) minutes be given to witnesses for their opening remarks...". If there are four witnesses, that makes 40 minutes for opening remarks, and if there are two witnesses, 20 minutes. That leaves parliamentarians less time for discussion. Under the current wording, it is 10 minutes, regardless of the number of witnesses.
I'd like to hear more specifics on what's being proposed here, Mr. Chair.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Vance Badawey
Thank you, Mr. Berthold.
Are there any further questions or comments?
Mr. Doherty.
Conservative
Todd Doherty Conservative Cariboo—Prince George, BC
I appreciate my colleague's comments. As a matter of fact, I had the very same comment earlier this session. What I would offer is that it's at the discretion of the committee and that when we are planning our witness list, we can have that discussion to come to a unanimous decision around the table on whether to allow or afford our witnesses more time on an as-needed basis.
February 18th, 2020 / 3:40 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Vance Badawey
Thank you, Mr. Doherty.
Are there any questions or comments to add?
Mr. Bachrach.
NDP
Taylor Bachrach NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
I would support the comments of the vice-chair. If a witness group showed up with a number of speakers, we as a committee could make an exception and give them an added amount of time, but having a shorter amount would keep them brief and give the maximum amount of time for questions and answers.
Liberal
Bloc
Xavier Barsalou-Duval Bloc Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC
That seems right.
I agree with my two colleagues. If we have several witnesses and they each have 10 minutes to make their opening remarks, things could get long. If we want to have time to intervene and ask questions, it could be 10 minutes for all the witnesses, and the committee could adjust the time at the end of the meeting.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Vance Badawey
Thank you.
Are there any further comments or questions? I'm hearing that we're going to leave the motion alone and that if there are any changes that have to be made during the meeting, we can make those prior to it. That's fine.
(Motion agreed to)
Mr. Sidhu.
Liberal
Maninder Sidhu Liberal Brampton East, ON
On documents distribution, I move:
That the Clerk of the Committee be authorized to distribute documents to members of the Committee only when the documents are available in both official languages and that witnesses be advised accordingly.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Vance Badawey
Thank you, Mr. Sidhu.
Are there any questions or comments?
(Motion agreed to)
Thank you.
Mr. Sidhu.
Liberal
Maninder Sidhu Liberal Brampton East, ON
On working meals, I move:That the Clerk of the Committee be authorized to make the necessary arrangements to provide working meals for the Committee and its Subcommittees.
Liberal
Liberal
Fayçal El-Khoury Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
Mr. Chair, as a member of the Liberal Party from Quebec, I would appreciate if at least one or two of the motions were read in French.
Thank you.