Veterans Affairs Committee on April 15th, 2010

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Mr. Vincent, I just checked with the clerk to make sure. I thought that was the case. A motion to suspend is actually a dilatory motion. I'm being courteous in exhausting my speakers' list, but right after that we actually have to go to a vote on whether or not to suspend.

Mr. Kerr.

[Greg Kerr, Conservative, West Nova, NS]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Actually Rick covered a bit of what I was going to say. I was thinking as this was going on that obviously we don't want to be discourteous to any of our colleagues, and I don't think anybody has that intent. We have less than half an hour left. If the witnesses have more they want to say today, that's fine. I would say we should certainly start another meeting off and make sure there is an hour guaranteed for the witnesses if they can come back. And I don't mind giving our time to the Bloc members to make sure they have the time to cover it. I agree that it's a little discourteous to simply suspend the meeting today. If they have some things they'd like to say today, that would be fine, but we're quite prepared to give you our time next time around if you agree.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Let me tell you what the researcher was just relaying to me. In the routine motions we passed at the beginning of our session, one of the things we did not include--which we could amend and include--is that every witness be notified when they're contacted that if they're going to submit documents, those should be submitted in both official languages. And then of course if those documents cannot be translated before the meeting, the clerk would advise us that we couldn't meet until those documents were translated. I don't have the wording here, but I'll make sure we have the wording next time, and then, if it pleases the committee, we can have somebody move that motion and put it into the routine proceedings.

However, because the motion to adjourn is a dilatory motion, we need to go to a vote, and if that vote is defeated, then I'll recognize the speakers.

All in favour of Madam Sgro's motion to adjourn?

(Motion negatived)

There are two people who want to express some concerns.

Mr. Vincent.

[Robert Vincent, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

You see the importance this document has. You called us to order, Mr. Chairman. You told us that our questions were not relevant because they did not concern the amendment of the New Veterans Charter.

The report the witness gave us focused directly on the New Veterans Charter. If we had received that document, our questions would have been relevant. I believe that's the case for everyone. You called us to order, but, to go really to the heart of the matter, we needed a translation of that document so we could ask those questions.

The witness's testimony concerned his experience more than the New Veterans Charter. If we want our questions to be relevant, having regard to the work done by the witness who provided us with that report, we must have the document.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Your point has been made well, Mr. Vincent.

Mr. McColeman.

[Phil McColeman, Conservative, Brant, ON]

Mr. Chair, I can appreciate the situation you're in here, which is one of trying to mediate--for lack of a better word--something going on here. The suggestion that was brought forward does not do anything to mitigate the situation that many of us experience, which is what Mr. Oliphant pointed out. He held up about four file folders full of personal letters he has received from individuals or information he has received on his e-mail.

Let's not get into a situation where you're going to create some kind of procedure here that is going to take up the time of our clerk and our researcher and that is not even close to being enforceable and/or reasonable to ask for. It's just my observation that this doesn't achieve much at all.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Okay. I believe we've aired our concerns fully and completely. We spoke to this situation. We have 20 minutes left for the witnesses. There is Mr. Casson's comment that we've asked them to come here, they've invested their time, and we should appropriately be respectful of that and allow them testimony.

On to Mr. Lobb for five minutes.

[Ben Lobb, Conservative, Huron—Bruce, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Bruyea for coming today. I'm sure that after that last exchange there—

[Scott Andrews, Liberal, Avalon, NL]

On a point of order, Mr. Chair. Back to that vote that we just had to suspend the meeting, this side all voted in favour of that motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

You didn't vote, and I didn't see the NDP vote either.

[A voice]

The NDP voted.

[A voice]

I definitely saw them vote.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

I apologize. I have some other eyes here with me and we—

[Scott Andrews, Liberal, Avalon, NL]

I didn't know it was a “raise your hand” motion or a “yea or nay” motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Mr. Andrews, if you feel there was an error on the vote—

[Scott Andrews, Liberal, Avalon, NL]

Yes, I do. Could you please call that vote again?

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

All right. There has been a motion to adjourn the meeting.

(Motion agreed to)

The meeting is adjourned.