Evidence of meeting #1 for Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 39th Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Documents and anything that's coming from government, coming from witnesses, coming from other members as information for the committee in its work need to be in both official languages before they're distributed.
We have an amendment on the floor. Are there any further comments?
Mr. Bellavance.
Bloc
André Bellavance Bloc Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
We are getting two separate issues mixed up. It states that only the clerk is authorized to distribute any kind of documentation, including motions. There is no reference here yet to bilingual documents, for example.
I agree with Pat, a member may suddenly wish to raise a particular issue and discuss it with committee colleagues by moving a motion. Now, when it comes time to voting on the official motion or discussing it, it has to be in both official languages. However, there is nothing stopping a member from moving a motion in his or her own language, out of the blue, and discussing it. We also have simultaneous interpretation. So it is not exactly the same thing.
Having to go through the clerk would take away members' flexibility. That is the official way of moving motions and it is what is done in probably 99.9% of cases. Now, as far as I am concerned, since I became a member, I have always gone through the clerk. However, something may come up just before a meeting, or during a committee meeting, and a member might feel the need to move his or her motion immediately. And that is how we lose that flexibility.
Conservative
Larry Miller Conservative Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON
I'd like to propose what I would hope would be a friendly amendment--I guess it would be an amendment to the amendment--that we change it so that this would exclude notices of motion. So basically all documents would have to come forth, but it would let Pat's and obviously André's concerns off the hook if when it came to a notice of motion you wouldn't necessarily have to have it in both official languages at that point.
You don't want that either?
Bloc
Bloc
André Bellavance Bloc Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
We can keep the wording which appeared in the routine motion. And we can add: “The clerk shall advise all witnesses appearing before the committee of this requirement.”
Then, that will work.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
It's the clerk. Okay, it was translated as the chair.
Mr. Lauzon.
Conservative
Guy Lauzon Conservative Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON
I think
seeing problems when there are none.
We're getting caught up in the details.
All we're trying to say--I think this is what this phrase says--is that only the clerk of the committee is authorized to distribute any documents to the members of the committee. What's the matter with that? Don't we want the clerk to be the person who ought to make sure of that? That means that Larry isn't authorized. It means the clerk is going to distribute the documents, including motions, and advise witnesses that their documents should be bilingual. Why are we getting hung up on this?
Isn't that what we're trying to say, Mr. Clerk?
The Clerk
Yes. For example, the last time we went across Canada on our fact-finding mission, the very first thing I told every witness I called on the phone or communicated with in any other way was not to forget that all documents have to be in both official languages.
Conservative
Guy Lauzon Conservative Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON
That's why we put it through the clerk, so that he ensures it's in both official languages. That's the intent of this. It's not some kind of a--
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
It's already a common practice of the clerk. It's just a matter of putting it into a motion.
Monsieur Roy.
Bloc
Jean-Yves Roy Bloc Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC
In any case, it is repetitious to say, “the clerk shall inform all witnesses appearing before the committee of the requirement of using both official languages”. Everybody knows that committees operate in both official languages that this is mandatory. It does not have to be written because it is already the clerk's job to inform the witnesses of such.
Conservative
Bloc
Jean-Yves Roy Bloc Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC
But it is not necessary put it writing, because it is a part of the clerk's job.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Okay, first we have to vote on the amendment as moved by Mr. Anderson.
Did you move that subamendment, or were you trying to throw that out as a friendly amendment?
Conservative
Larry Miller Conservative Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON
My God, this is an improvement, particularly for the Bloc, and they don't want it. Let's call the vote.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Mr. Anderson's subamendment is on the table. It reads, if I'm not mistaken, as follows:
That only the clerk of the committee be authorized to distribute documents, including motions, to members of the commitee and only when such documents exist in both official languages. The clerk shall advise all witnesses appearing before the committee of this requirement.
That includes the amendments.
(Amendment negatived)
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
We're back to the original motion as moved by Mr. Steckle.
(Motion agreed to) [See Minutes of Proceedings]
Conservative
Liberal
Paul Steckle Liberal Huron—Bruce, ON
I'll make a motion that the clerk of the committee be authorized to make the necessary arrangements to provide for working meals for committees and their subcommittees.
Have I got the right one?