INDU Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology met in camera at 4:40 p.m. this day, in Room 308, West Block, the Chair, the Hon. Michael D.Chong, presiding.

Lalita Acharya, Analyst, provided a briefing to the Committee on the study of Science and Technology in Canada.

It was agreed, — That the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology create a subcommittee whose membership be composed of five (5) members identified by the whips after the usual consultation, with two (2) members from the Conservative Party, one (1) member from the Liberal Party, one (1) member from the Bloc Québécois, and one (1) member from the New Democratic Party, that the Chair be from the Conservative Party, that subcommittee have all the powers and authority of the Standing Committee with the exception of the power to report directly to the House, that the subcommittee by governed by all the routine motions of the Standing Committee unless it decides otherwise, to undertake a study of the crisis faced by the automotive industry in Canada, with the understanding that any legislation referred to the full committee take precedence over the work of the subcommittee; that the subcommittee not meet at the same time as the full committee, that the subcommittee report its findings and recommendations to the main committee no later than March 24, 2009, and that the main committee present the report to the House no later than March 31, 2009.

It was agreed, — That the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology create a subcommittee whose membership will be composed of five (5) members identified by the whips after the usual consultation, with two (2) from the Conservative Party, one (1) from the Liberal Party, one (1) from the Bloc Québécois, and one (1) from the New Democratic Party, and that the Chair be from the Conservative Party; that the subcommittee have all the powers and authority of the Standing Committee with the exception of the power to report directly to the House, that the subcommittee by governed by all the routine motions of the Standing Committee unless it decides otherwise, to undertake a study of the crisis faced by certain industrial sectors in Canada such as aerospace, energy, forestry, high-tech, and manufacturing, with the understanding that any legislation referred to the full committee take precedence over the work of the subcommittee, that the subcommittee not meet at the same time as the full committee, that the subcommittee report its findings and recommendations to the main committee, and that the main committee present the report to the House within ten sitting days.

The Chair presented the 1st Report from the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure which read as follows:

That the Committee commence its study of Bill C-4, an Act respecting not-for-profit corporations and certain other corporations, at the meeting scheduled for Thursday March 5, 2009, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and that the Committee hear from the sponsor of the bill, the Hon. Diane Ablonczy, Minister of State for Small Business and Tourism, at that meeting, and that the meetings scheduled for Tuesday, March 10, 2009, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and the meeting scheduled for Thursday, March 12, 2009, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. be devoted to hearing witnesses relevant to the study of the bill;

That the Subcommittee on the Automobile Industry meet on Wednesday, March 4, 2009, from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., on Monday, March 9, 2009, from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11, 2009, from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., that the Subcommittee also meet on Monday, March 23, 2009, from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., to consider a draft report, and that the Subcommittee present the draft report to the Committee on Tuesday, March 24, 2009;

That the Subcommittee on Canadian Industrial Sectors meet on Thursday, March 5, 2009, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. to determine a future work plan;

That the routine motion adopted by the Committee on Thursday, February 5, 2009, on the subject of rounds of questions during the questioning of witnesses be amended by replacing the word “Independent” with the word “Conservative”;

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology study how the current financial crisis is affecting small and medium-sized businesses and whether financial institutions are reforming to meet the needs of these businesses in the current economic climate, and that the work plan for this study be determined at a later date; and

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology, undertake an extensive study of how the economic crisis is affecting the tourism industry, and that the work plan for this study be determined at a later date.

It was agreed, — That the Report of the Subcommittee be concurred in.

At 5:39 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.