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
Bloc
André Bellavance Bloc Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
These are the words “[...] under exceptional circumstances [...]”.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
—“in exceptional circumstances, payment for more representatives be at the discretion of the subcommittee on agenda and procedure”.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Okay, that's the amendment to the motion. Any comments?
Mr. Steckle.
Liberal
Paul Steckle Liberal Huron—Bruce, ON
You want me to speak to the amendment. I'm not going to speak to the amendment. I'll speak to something—
Conservative
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
Can I get you to read the amendment again?
And I would like to point out, since Mr. Hubbard asked if there was any precedent, that actually the Standing Committee on the Status of Women this morning passed this motion. It was made by Pat Davidson, and Judy Sgro was chairing the meeting at the time.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
The amendment again is to add in at the end, “in exceptional circumstances...”.
Mr. Anderson.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
Excuse me. I need to correct that. It is not the same. They limited it to one representative per organization, but they did allow for the reasonable child care expenses. I think he was asking where that came from.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Every committee is, of course, master of its own destiny or demise and precedents.
Okay, “...in exceptional circumstances, payment for more representatives be at the discretion of the subcommittee on agenda and procedure”. That is the amendment. The question is on the amendment.
Mr. Miller.
Conservative
Conservative
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
No, this is what André is proposing as the amendment.
The amendment to witnesses' expenses, “...in exceptional circumstances, payment for more representatives be at the discretion of the subcommittee on agenda and procedure”. I'll call the question.
Is it four to four?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
I saw four too.
Get your hands up again. Guys, let's get voting here. We're going to have all sorts of difficulties.
Bloc
André Bellavance Bloc Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
I would like the clerk to tell us whether the motion has been passed or not. It is up to the clerk to determine who has voted and who has not. I myself, do not count the votes.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
And I will determine it. That's why I asked you guys to get your hands up.
(Amendment agreed to)
Conservative
Liberal
Paul Steckle Liberal Huron—Bruce, ON
On the issue of child care--and I have a deep feeling for those kinds of things--what is reasonable? I have been here 14 years, and I realize that time marches on, but I have never heard of someone coming here and putting forward a bill for child care expenses.
I somehow feel that there are certain things we do in life. We give up certain things sometimes to have a family, and if we expect government or someone else to carry that whole load in every aspect of life, I think we're opening ourselves up to something. It's not because I don't support child care, because I do. But I don't think this kind of thing is where we need to become engaged.
November 14th, 2007 / 4:40 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Yes, there is some flexibility in what are reasonable expenses for which they apply for reimbursement.
