INST Committee Meeting

STANDING COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRY, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

COMITÉ PERMANENT DE L'INDUSTRIE, DES SCIENCES ET DE LA TECHNOLOGIE

EVIDENCE

[Recorded by Electronic Apparatus]

Wednesday, February 21, 2001

• 1537

[Translation]

The Clerk of the Committee: Honourable committee members, we have a quorum. Pursuant to Standing Orders 106(1) and 106(2), the election of a chair is the first item on the agenda. I'm ready to receive motions to that effect.

[English]

I am ready to receive motions to that effect.

[Translation]

Yes, Ms. Jennings.

Ms. Marlene Jennings (Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, Lib.): I move that Ms. Susan Whelan be chair of the committee.

[English]

The Clerk: Okay. Moved by Ms. Jennings that Ms. Whelan do take the chair of the committee.

Mr. Dan McTeague (Pickering—Ajax—Uxbridge, Lib.): I second the motion.

The Clerk: Are there other motions to that effect?

(Motion agreed to)

The Clerk: I declare Ms. Susan Whelan duly elected chair of the committee and invite her to take the chair.

The Chair (Ms. Susan Whelan (Essex, Lib.)): I want to thank everyone for this overwhelming support. I will move on to the election of vice-chairs.

Mr. Cannis.

Mr. John Cannis (Scarborough Centre, Lib.): Madam Chair, with your permission, I'd like to move that Mr. Walt Lastewka's name be placed for vice-chair. Unfortunately, for personal reasons, he is not able to be here today, and I apologize for that.

The Chair: He can be elected in absentia.

Ms. Marlene Jennings: I second the motion.

(Motion agreed to)

The Chair: Congratulations to Mr. Lastewka.

I now call for a second vice-chair.

Mr. Rajotte.

Mr. James Rajotte (Edmonton Southwest, Canadian Alliance): I'd like to nominate Charlie Penson for vice-chair.

Ms. Paddy Torsney (Burlington, Lib.): I second the motion.

(Motion agreed to)

The Chair: Congratulations, Mr. Penson.

Now we have a number of proposed routine motions, the first being for the subcommittee on agenda and procedure. Does everyone have it in front of them? We need someone to make that motion.

Mr. Dan McTeague: All about that... 48 hours' notice?

The Chair: We're on 3(a) first, subcommittee. We need the names of the people on that subcommittee.

• 1540

An hon. member: Oh, the names.

The Chair: We can add their names after. You're right. Okay. We can let the parties decide.

An hon. member: That's right.

Mr. Reg Alcock (Winnipeg South, Lib.): And then, Chair, just to notify you, we've got about 20 minutes before the vote.

An hon. member: Twenty-eight.

The Chair: Twenty-eight minutes? Okay.

All those in favour of 3(a)?

(Motion agreed to)

The Chair: Does someone want to move (b)?

Ms. Paddy Torsney: Sure, I'll move (b).

The Chair: Seconded? Mr. Penson.

(Motion agreed to)

The Chair: Now (c), in regard to witnesses. Ms. Torsney, do you want to move that?

Ms. Paddy Torsney: Sure, I'm with that.

(Motion agreed to)

The Chair: Now (d), research staff. Ms. Jennings moves that.

(Motion agreed to)

Mr. Mauril Bélanger (Ottawa—Vanier, Lib.): Can one debate on this?

The Chair: Did you have a question, Mr. Bélanger?

Mr. Mauril Bélanger: I propose “two or more”, as opposed to “one or more”.

The Chair: “...retain the services of one or more research officers”? Well, we've always been very lucky on the committee that we have had two or more. We actually have three appointed to our committee right now.

Mr. Mauril Bélanger: All right.

The Chair: Will that suffice for now?

Mr. Mauril Bélanger: “Two or more” would have been better, but fine. We're on. As long as we—

An hon. member: “One or more” covers it.

The Chair: “One or more” covers two, three, four...

Mr. Mauril Bélanger: “One or more” is not—

The Chair: Is that okay?

Mr. Mauril Bélanger: Do you want to have a discussion about this, Madam Chair?

The Chair: Do you want it to be changed to “two or more”?

Mr. Mauril Bélanger: I'd like that. Yes.

An hon. member: Why not?

Mr. Dan McTeague: Madam Chair, given the potential, I think, in the discussions for the material we'll be covering over the next little while, I hope it will be quite substantial. There may be greater need, and so I don't have any difficulty with Mr. Bélanger's recommendation.

The Chair: Okay.

Is everyone agreed: “two or more”?

(Motion as amended agreed to)

The Chair: Witness expenses. It's moved by Ms. Torsney.

Ms. Paddy Torsney: Sure.

The Chair: Any discussion?

(Motion agreed to)

The Chair: Next (f), in camera meeting. It's moved by Ms. Torsney. Any discussion?

(Motion agreed to)

The Chair: Then (g), Order in Council appointments. It's moved by Ms. Torsney.

Ms. Paddy Torsney: That one was intended—

The Chair: I did that together. I'm sorry.

Ms. Paddy Torsney: Well, all right. I moved both parts of them and—

The Chair: Did you not move both parts of those?

Ms. Paddy Torsney: Sure I did, and now I move (g).

The Chair: Now you move (g), Order in Council appointments. Any discussion on that?

(Motion agreed to)

The Chair: Now (h), working lunches.

Mr. Dan McTeague: I'll move it... no, you move it, because I think it should be “quality working lunches”, as opposed to the leftovers from someone else's meeting, usually Finance or Heritage.

The Chair: I'm sure the—

An hon. member: Sandwiches that have seen something other than straight meat.

The Chair: I'm sure the clerk will take that under advisement.

The Clerk: I will do my best.

The Chair: He will do his very best. He's assured us.

Mr. Scott Brison (Kings—Hants, PC): I like mine medium rare.

The Chair: Thank you, Mr. Brison, for that comment.

(Motion agreed to)

The Chair: Ms. Torsney.

Ms. Paddy Torsney: I have two things. I wanted to move a motion to adjourn, but before I do that, I wonder if we could get a list... I probably can order one up myself, but I'm wondering if the clerk wouldn't mind submitting a list to us of all the Order in Council appointments—just a list of what types of Order in Council appointments are coming towards this committee. Thank you.

And then I'd like to move to adjourn the meeting.

The Chair: Just before we adjourn—and it's not debatable—we will be having a steering committee meeting next week. So the clerk will set that up.

Mr. Bélanger.

[Translation]

Mr. Mauril Bélanger: Madam Chair, I would like to raise an issue before we adjourn, if possible.

Ms. Jocelyne Girard-Bujold (Jonquière, BQ): A motion to adjourn has been made.

[English]

The Chair: We have a vote going on actually. The bells are ringing?

An hon. member: Half an hour.

[Translation]

Mr. Mauril Bélanger: If I may, I would like to make a suggestion to the committee.

Ms. Jocelyne Girard-Bujold: A motion to adjourn has been made.

Mr. Mauril Bélanger: I was simply asking. If you are not in agreement, say so.

Ms. Jocelyne Girard-Bujold: No.

Mr. Mauril Bélanger: Very well, the next time you ask for unanimous consent, we will remember.

Ms. Jocelyne Girard-Bujold: No doubt.

Mr. Pierre Brien (Témiscamingue, BQ): You would not have allowed us to do it if this had been a problem. We won't amend the rules every time we sit. At any rate, this is not an issue that we can debate. Once a motion has been tabled, we have to vote on it right away.

[English]

The Chair: There's a motion on the floor to adjourn. All those in favour?

• 1545

(Motion negatived)

The Chair: Mr. Bélanger.

[Translation]

Mr. Mauril Bélanger: Madam Chair, I do not know if this is done or if this may be of interest to the members of the committee, but I simply want to draw everyone's attention to the fact that, on April 19, there will be a space shuttle launch and the Canadian, Chris Hatfield, will be on board. He will be part of the mission. I do not know whether or not it would be appropriate for committee members or for some of us to participate in this type of event. But I can tell you that if there was any desire to send a committee delegation, I would be delighted to be part of it, because I believe it is important for this committee to focus on the scientific aspect, as suggested by its name. Space development is one of the most promising fields.

I therefore wanted to draw this event to your attention, which will be taking place the week that the House recesses in April. This may be of interest to the members of the committee.

[English]

The Chair: Thank you very much, Mr. Bélanger.

Mr. Cannis.

Mr. John Cannis: I think Mr. Bélanger is making a good point, seeing as Canada is one of the partners in the space station. It would certainly give us a first-hand opportunity to see, to ask questions, and to learn a little bit more.

The Chair: This committee has visited the Space Agency, we've had tours, we've had them here before the committee, and we had the act last year. It would be quite appropriate for us to investigate that, so we'll do that and report back to the committee.

Mr. Manning.

Mr. Preston Manning (Calgary Southwest, Canadian Alliance): It might just be helpful for us to identify any sort of big science events that are happening in the country over the next year. The first results of that neutrino project are, I think, to be released sometime in April. That will be an international conference. I think they're having press conferences in 11 places, just as for that Human Genome Project.

It would be good for us to try to be aware of some of these big science things Canadians are involved in. Maybe all we'll do is give some recognition to it here, but if they're close—I think one of those press conferences for the neutrino project is right here in Ottawa—it would be good to know some of those things, and maybe we could participate in some small way.

The Chair: I think that's a wonderful idea. Mr. Cannis—

Mr. Preston Manning: Sudbury is not quite as attractive as Cocoa Beach.

The Chair: Mr. Cannis has also taken note of this. We are going to invite the Minister of Industry to come to the committee, and we'll ask him to keep us advised of all these activities that are going to be taking place.

Hopefully, everyone will have some time to review the binder that's now in your offices and to think of ideas to put forward at the steering committee meeting.

Ms. Torsney.

Ms. Paddy Torsney: In that same vein, I think there's a big national science fair somewhere for university students. That would be something else that should be on the list in case any of us are in the neighbourhood.

The Chair: Okay.

Ms. Paddy Torsney: I'd like to make another motion, while I have the floor, to adjourn the meeting.

(Motion agreed to)

The Chair: Thank you.