FAIT Committee Meeting
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STANDING COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE
COMITÉ PERMANENT DES AFFAIRES ÉTRANGÈRES ET DU COMMERCE INTERNATIONAL
EVIDENCE
[Recorded by Electronic Apparatus]
Monday, October 5, 1998
• 1519
[English]
The Clerk of the Committee: Members, I see a quorum.
[Translation]
Pursuant to Standing Order 106. (1) and 106. (2), our first order of business is to elect a chairman.
[English]
I am ready to receive motions to that effect.
Mr. Assadourian.
Mr. Sarkis Assadourian (Brampton Centre, Lib.): I move that our former chair, Bill Graham, be renominated for the position for this period.
He did a fantastic job for the last few years and I know he enjoys the confidence of every member in this committee.
Some hon. members: Hear, hear.
The Clerk: Is there a seconder for the motion?
Mr. Svend J. Robinson (Burnaby—Douglas, NDP): I second the motion.
The Clerk: Are there other motions?
Mr. Bob Speller (Haldimand—Norfolk—Brant, Lib.): Debate?
Some hon. members: Oh, oh.
The Clerk: Debate? Sure.
It has been moved by Mr. Assadourian, seconded by Mr. Robinson, that Bill Graham take the chair of this committee. Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?
(Motion agreed to)
The Clerk: I declare Bill Graham duly elected chair of the committee, in absentia.
• 1520
Your second order of business, in the absence of the
chair, is the election of an acting chair. I'm ready
to receive motions to that effect.
Mr. Penson.
Mr. Charlie Penson (Peace River, Ref.): Madam Clerk, I'd like to nominate Bob Mills as acting chair or vice-chair.
The Clerk: Are there other motions?
Ms. Colleen Beaumier (Brampton West—Mississauga, Lib.): I nominate Marlene Catterall.
The Clerk: We'll take them in the order in which they've been moved.
It's been moved by Mr. Penson that Bob Mills take the chair of this committee as acting chair.
Ms. Marlene Catterall (Ottawa West—Nepean, Lib.): Madam Clerk, the business of the committee remaining in this meeting is very limited, so I'm quite happy to see Mr. Mills take the chair for the next few minutes.
The Clerk: Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?
(Motion agreed to)
The Clerk: I declare Bob Mills duly elected acting chair of the committee and invite him to take the chair.
The Acting Chairman (Mr. Bob Mills (Red Deer, Ref.)): Okay now, this is the way it's going to be, you guys, so lock the doors.
Some hon. members: Oh, oh.
The Acting Chairman (Mr. Bob Mills): We will proceed to elect the two vice-chairs, starting with nominations.
Mr. Jerry Pickard (Chatham—Kent Essex, Lib.): I nominate Colleen Beaumier for vice-chair.
Mr. Roy Cullen (Etobicoke North, Lib.): I'll second that.
The Acting Chairman (Mr. Bob Mills): Mr. Penson.
Mr. Charlie Penson: I nominate Bob Mills for vice-chair.
The Acting Chairman (Mr. Bob Mills): Do I have to step down now?
The Clerk: No. You accept the motions one at a time.
The Acting Chairman (Mr. Bob Mills): Are there other nominations?
Is the will of the committee to accept the nomination of Colleen Beaumier?
You didn't have a chance to say you didn't want it, Colleen.
(Motion agreed to)
Ms. Marlene Catterall: I would move, then, that since we have a vice-chair, the vice-chair take the chair for the nomination of the second vice-chair, to prevent the chair being in a conflict of interest, even if he is already the acting chair.
Some hon. members: Oh, oh.
Ms. Marlene Catterall: We have to do things properly.
The Vice-Chair (Ms. Colleen Beaumier): Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion to elect Mr. Mills?
(Motion agreed to)
The Vice-Chair (Ms. Colleen Beaumier): They were very anxious to have you in there, I can see.
Mr. Turp.
[Translation]
Mr. Daniel Turp (Beauharnois—Salaberry, BQ): Madam Chair, I would like to table a motion for consideration by this committee. It pertains to the production of papers and records, pursuant to Standing Order 108. (1)(a), in connection with the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference, the APEC Conference, held in November of 1997. The motion calls on the Department of Foreign Affairs and on the Minister to produce a certain number of documents that could shed some light on what went on in Vancouver last fall. I have a copy of the motion for you.
[English]
The Vice-Chair (Mrs. Colleen Beaumier): We'll take the motion as noted and we will reserve debate for later.
[Translation]
Mr. Daniel Turp: Madam Chair, I have another motion.
[English]
Mr. Svend Robinson: Madam Chair?
The Vice-Chair (Ms. Colleen Beaumier): Mr. Robinson.
Mr. Svend Robinson: In regard to the notice of motion, following consultation with the clerk, I understand that the two notices of motion which I gave at the last meeting of the committee are to be brought forward on Thursday morning at 9 a.m., and I assume that Mr. Turp's motion will be brought forward at the same time, as it has the requisite 48-hour notice. Just so the members of the committee are advised of it, that's my understanding: that we will deal with the motions of which notice has been given and then move in camera to deal with the draft report on disarmament.
The Vice-Chair (Ms. Colleen Beaumier): Yes, that's my understanding as well.
Mr. Turp.
[Translation]
Mr. Daniel Turp: I think it would be a good idea to review these two motions, that is my own and Mr. Robinson's motion, together. They deal with very similar issues.
• 1525
[English]
The Vice-Chair (Ms. Colleen Beaumier): Mr. Mills.
Mr. Bob Mills: On a point of order, the motions were put forward by Mr. Robinson in the old committee. Now that we have the new committee, do we not have to resubmit them today and thus discuss them on Thursday?
The Vice-Chair (Ms. Colleen Beaumier): No, I don't believe we do, Mr. Mills. I think that's only in the case where the House has been prorogued. It's my understanding that committee work continues from session to session.
An hon. member: Otherwise, for example, we would have to resubmit the draft report.
The Vice-Chair (Ms. Colleen Beaumier): Yes.
Mr. Bob Mills: I was just asking to make sure that we didn't have a problem.
The Vice-Chair (Ms. Colleen Beaumier): Mr. Turp.
[Translation]
Mr. Daniel Turp: We will not make a habit of it, and we haven't in the past, but I would like to request the adjournment of these proceedings so that some of us can take part in the events surrounding the visit by the President of the Republic of Ireland.
[English]
The Vice-Chair (Ms. Colleen Beaumier): Yes, thank you.
Meeting adjourned.