Evidence of meeting #3 for Veterans Affairs in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was clients.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
Apparently they got back to the clerk with a much more expeditious date.
Again, if there's consensus, then we can tell them to change the date, or if it works for most people.... I'm at your behest.
Monsieur Gaudet.
5:20 p.m.
Bloc
Roger Gaudet Bloc Montcalm, QC
You don't feel like visiting Ste. Anne's Hospital on a Monday instead of on a Tuesday? I could leave from home and stop in there on my way.
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
Monsieur Gaudet, right now we're speaking about the Memory Project, not Ste. Anne's. This is the Memory Project that the Dominion Institute is putting on. We distributed that information earlier. There's a breakfast on February 26.
So do I have consensus, then, that again we'll just deal with that individually? That's February 26, for breakfast.
5:20 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
Okay, see you there.
Next you have a budget in front of you for the continuation of the G-8 study. We're going to need approval of this budget in order to continue on with that study and the comparison of services. The clerk has accounted for possible travel, possible reimbursements. That doesn't mean we will actually expend all this money, but it's basically a safe budget in order to make sure, should there be videoconferencing or travel, that there are adequate funds there.
Madam Sgro.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
Judy Sgro Liberal York West, ON
Is this the other half of the study that was already started by the committee?
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
That's correct, in the 39th Parliament, and we made a motion to adopt that and continue.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
We don't have the exact number of what it was last year, but whatever we didn't expend last year was clawed back. The same will happen on this one.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
We have a motion for approval. Is there any more discussion?
(Motion agreed to)
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
Thank you.
Of course, we'll do the scheduling on the G-8 witnesses after this.
The next item is the one for Ste. Anne's—Monsieur Gaudet, we're here at that one now. This will be for a bus, I believe, for all of us to travel by coach to Ste. Anne's to visit the facility. It's a one-day trip. We'll have to make sure that we not only pass the budget but we'll have to deal with it through whips and so on as well.
Is there any comment on the budget?
We also have two proposed dates of March 23 and March 30. I would think we might have to go back to our whips anyway to make sure, because we'll be gone for the whole day. We will say that right now everybody is fine with those dates, but I suspect we'll have to wait for approval from everybody's whips.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
I have just been told that we need to go the liaison committee and we'll need a specific date.
Madam Sgro, you said the 30th.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
Then it's March 30, as far as the date is concerned. Is that okay with everybody? All in favour?
5:25 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
The next item is the trip to Charlottetown. I had asked the clerk whether it was possible for us to travel there and back in one day, in order not to extend it, and it is if we charter a flight. Surprisingly, chartering a flight is actually cheaper than commercial. Again, I'm at the service of the committee. We can go commercial or we can charter a flight. My schedule is busy enough that I'd like to do it in a day.
Mr. Stoffer.
5:25 p.m.
NDP
Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS
You're correct, a charter actually is much cheaper all around and much more convenient. It saves us an awful lot of time.
You're right, going there and back in one day is a benefit to all of us, not that spending a night in Charlottetown isn't a lot of fun—trust me, it is—but the reality is that we can get a lot done there. They give you a fabulous tour of the place and it's well worthwhile.
Greg, I don't know if you've had a chance yet yourself.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
Do we have consensus for the clerk to go ahead and make a budget for that?
We need to have a date for that as well. Can we work out the budget, and then we'll discuss the date here when the budget is presented to us? That way we'll have a better idea if we're moving with the 30th as well.
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
Ben Lobb Conservative Huron—Bruce, ON
Mr. Chair, what's the purpose of the trip to Charlottetown? I may have missed that.
