FAIT Committee Meeting
Notices of Meeting include information about the subject matter to be examined by the committee and date, time and place of the meeting, as well as a list of any witnesses scheduled to appear. The Evidence is the edited and revised transcript of what is said before a committee. The Minutes of Proceedings are the official record of the business conducted by the committee at a sitting.
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37th PARLIAMENT, 2nd SESSION
Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade
EVIDENCE
CONTENTS
Tuesday, May 27, 2003
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The Chair (Mr. Bernard Patry (Pierrefonds—Dollard, Lib.)) |
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Mr. John Duncan (Vancouver Island North, Canadian Alliance) |
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The Chair |
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The Clerk of the Committee |
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The Chair |
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The Clerk |
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The Chair |
CANADA
Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade |
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EVIDENCE
Tuesday, May 27, 2003
[Recorded by Electronic Apparatus]
¿ (0915)
[English]
The Chair (Mr. Bernard Patry (Pierrefonds—Dollard, Lib.)): Pursuant to Standing Order 39(5), the first item is the failure of the ministry to respond to question Q-180 on the Order Paper in the name of Mr. Duncan, from Vancouver Island North.
Mr. Duncan, it's the first time since I've been a member of the committee that we've had such an item. I asked the clerk to give you a note about this. What should we do, what should we not do? I think everything is on the table.
I'll ask Mr. Duncan if he wants to talk about this first, because he's the one who asked the question of the minister.
Mr. John Duncan (Vancouver Island North, Canadian Alliance): Okay.
First I'd like to say I think this is a very good new procedure. We now have a check on the government for providing timely responses to our questions.
Second, I now have a response to the question. I will be optimistic and assume the reason I have an answer is that this was coming to committee under this new procedure. Because I have a response, I do not plan on belabouring the issue. I think we can just dispose of it.
I am aware of another question that will be referred to committee for one of my colleagues, Mr. Casson, as early as today. That question has not been answered. So that would be a more appropriate time for the committee to follow up.
I think I'll just leave it at that, if that's satisfactory to the rest of the committee. If nobody wants to belabour it, I don't think it's worth pursuing.
The Chair: Thank you. I think that's fair. I think it's fair for the clerk also. Yes, there's no problem with this.
Regarding the other one you mentioned involving Mr. Casson, from Lethbridge, and another one from Mr. Rajotte, Edmonton Southwest, they have till Thursday to answer in the House. We're going to wait until then to have them come to the committee, if they're not responded to. That's correct, Mr. Clerk?
The Clerk of the Committee: We have five sitting days, Mr. Chairman, from the order of reference to the committee. So the committee has to sit within five sitting days to deal with it, regardless of whether the question has been answered or not.
The Chair: Okay, but they still have some time.
The Clerk: It will be by Friday, Mr. Chairman.
The Chair: Okay, that's fine. We'll wait till Thursday, if it's agreed. Good.
[Proceedings continue in camera]