Evidence of meeting #65 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was meeting.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
George Chahal Liberal Calgary Skyview, AB
I had the floor, but I'll defer to Mr. Rogers and then I'll come back.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke
I'm sorry, Mr. Chahal. That's fine, and Mr. Badawey will follow.
Mr. Rogers.
Liberal
Churence Rogers Liberal Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, NL
Actually, Mr. Chair, before we vote on any further motions, I'd like to see a written copy so we can see exactly what we're voting on in both official languages.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke
Mr. Rogers, for clarification, are you asking for the amended version?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke
Mr. Rogers, the request has been made. We're just waiting on translation, so we're going to try to get that for you as—
Liberal
Churence Rogers Liberal Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, NL
Mr. Chair, I suggest we suspend for a couple of minutes while we're waiting.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke
Mr. Rogers, we will move on to additional speakers in an effort to save time, but we are adequately working on your request. We'll hopefully be able to get that for you as soon as possible, before the end of the meeting.
We'll turn the floor over to Mr. Chahal, and then I have Mr. Badawey, followed by Mr. Strahl.
Liberal
George Chahal Liberal Calgary Skyview, AB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
It would be beneficial. I'm glad Mr. Rogers raised that, because I would like to see what has been amended and changed.
Just to go back to the point that a list was provided, we've had substantial changes made to today's meeting. Number one, we had a motion dropped on the floor to disrupt this meeting at the beginning of it, and we, therefore, wasted an hour and a half of our time for two witnesses. They were sent home. The Conservatives dropped a motion and spent a lengthy amount of time presenting and then discussing it.
Also, Mr. Chair, to Madam Clerk, I heard Mr. Strahl amend or change some dates, and I just want to be clear that we captured those and that at some point we could just make sure of that. I believe they were May 16 and 18, or that May 18 was going to be held for the other study we are doing, so that's going to impact the witnesses for that. I just want clarification with respect to this study and the date Mr. Strahl provided, the 18th, and what will happen at that meeting, because that does impact the work of our next study if that's the new order.
Going back to the list, it's unclear to me. It would be nice to have the list that was provided previously and the list added today to see if there are any changes to that list. I believe the clerk is working diligently to capture that information and to make sure it's provided to all committee members so we do have an understanding of the new individuals added and of whether any changes have been made to respect proportionality so that all parties and members have the opportunity to do so.
I do want to note that we did ask to go into committee business to have these conversations so that we wouldn't be wasting the committee's time. Unfortunately, we wasted a lot of time today and in previous committees discussing matters that are for committee business. This committee has a process in place whereby it can go into committee business to have these conversations. I believe it's a waste of committee members' time here to not be hearing the testimony of witnesses and getting into the details of the studies that are approved.
I'm extremely displeased with what's happened today at this meeting. I hope we can work collaboratively through committee business and in future meetings to do the work of Parliament through this very important committee and through future studies that are extremely important, from what we've seen, in terms of building resilient infrastructure across Canada.
That's my focus for the next committee, because across the country we've all been impacted. I know parts of the country are still without power. I want to get to that study as well, because it's important for me and my constituents, but I do not want to waste committee time on committee business.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Liberal
Conservative
Leslyn Lewis Conservative Haldimand—Norfolk, ON
I just want to state something as a point of clarification. The motion was not dropped today. It was brought on notice.
Thanks.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke
Thank you, Dr. Lewis.
I have Mr. Badawey, Mr. Strahl and Ms. O'Connell, followed by Mr. Bachrach.
NDP
NDP
Taylor Bachrach NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
The subcommittee cannot deal with a motion to summon witnesses. Can someone clarify that? Can a subcommittee summon witnesses?
Liberal
NDP
Taylor Bachrach NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
I want to make sure we are on the same page, because that was suggested.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke
While the clerk is confirming that information, was your hand up to be added to the speakers list, or was it for that point of order, Mr. Bachrach?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke
Just to confirm, Mr. Bachrach, before we turn the floor over to Mr. Badawey, no, it cannot be dealt with or adopted by a subcommittee. It has to be adopted by the committee.
Mr. Badawey, the floor is yours.
Is it a point of order, Ms. O'Connell?
Liberal
Jennifer O'Connell Liberal Pickering—Uxbridge, ON
Yes. Can I get that same clarification that subcommittees can make recommendations that committees then adopt? The discussion could actually happen at the subcommittee, and then the motion or the proposal would be adopted at committee.
I just want to make sure that procedurally, just so we're on the same page, it can in fact be dealt with at subcommittee and adopted by the whole committee after, or ratified, which would be the right term.
Liberal