NDVA Committee Meeting

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 1

Thursday, November 7, 2002

The Standing Committee on National Defence and Veterans Affairs met at 9:04 a.m. this day, in Room 208, West Block, for the purpose of electing a Chair and two Vice-Chairs, pursuant to Standing Orders 106(1), (2) and (3).

Member(s) of the Committee present: Rob Anders, Claude Bachand, Leon Benoit, Cheryl Gallant, Joe McGuire, John O'Reilly, Janko Peric, Louis Plamondon, David Pratt, David Price, Carmen Provenzano, Peter Stoffer, Elsie Wayne, Bob Wood.

Acting Member(s) present: Suzanne Tremblay for Louis Plamondon; Steve Mahoney for Colleen Beaumier.

In attendance: From the Library of Parliament: Wolf Koerner; Michel Rossignol.

Pursuant to Standing Order 106(3), the Clerk of the Committee presided over the election of the Chair and Vice-Chairs.

On motion of David Price, it was agreed that David Pratt be elected Chair of the Committee.

Accordingly, David Pratt was declared duly elected Chair of the Committee.

On motion of John O’Reilly, it was agreed that David Price be elected Government Vice-Chair of the Committee.

Accordingly, David Price was declared duly elected Vice-Chair of the Committee.

Cheryl Gallant moved, -- That Leon Benoit be elected opposition Vice-Chair of the Committee.

Peter Stoffer moved, -- That Elsie Wayne be elected opposition Vice-Chair of the Committee.

Pursuant to Standing Order 106(3), a secret ballot was conducted.  Elsie Wayne was duly elected Vice-Chair of the Committee.

David Pratt took the Chair.

The Committee proceeded to consider routine motions.

John O’Reilly moved, -- That the Chair, the two Vice-Chairs, the two Parliamentary Secretaries and a member from the Bloc québécois, New Democratic Party and Progressive Conservative Party do compose the Sub-Committee on Agenda and Procedure.

By unanimous consent, it was agreed that “Progressive Conservative Party” be replaced with “Canadian Alliance”.

Leon Benoit moved the following amendment, - That the motion be amended by replacing “Parliamentary Secretaries” with “two Liberal members”.  Debate arose thereon.  After debate, the question was put on the motion to amend and it was, by a show of hands, negatived.

YEAS: 5                                                                                  NAYS: 8

On motion of Peter Stoffer, it was agreed -- That the Committee retain the services of one or more research officers from the Library of Parliament, as needed, to assist the Committee in its work, at the discretion of the Chair.

On motion of Joe McGuire, it was agreed -- That the Chair be authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence when a quorum is not present provided that at least five (5) members are present, including two (2) members of the Opposition and that after fifteen (15) minutes the number be reduced to three (3) members including one (1) member of the Opposition.

Claude Bachand moved, -- That witnesses be given (10) minutes for their opening statement and, that during the questioning of witnesses, there be allocated in the First Round, seven (7) minutes each for Canadian Alliance, Bloc québécois, Liberals, New Democratic Party, Progressive Conservative Party; and in the Second Round, five (5) minutes for each Party in the same order.

Leon Benoit moved the following amendment, -- That the motion be amended by replacing the text after the second occurrence of the word witnesses with the following: “there be allocated in the First Round, seven (7) minutes for the Canadian Alliance, then seven (7) minutes for the Liberals, seven (7) minutes for Bloc québécois, seven (7) minutes for the Liberals, seven (7) minutes for the New Democratic Party, seven (7) minutes for Liberals, seven (7) minutes for the Progressive Conservative Party; and in the Second Round, five (5) minutes for the Liberal members, five (5) minutes for Canadian Alliance members, five (5) minutes for the Liberal members, five (5) minutes for the Bloc québécois member, and five (5) minutes for the Liberal members remaining”.  Debate arose thereon.

David Price moved, -- That the matter be referred to the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure.  Debate arose thereon.  After debate, the question was put on the motion and was negatived on recorded division:

            YEAS                                                 

Joe McGuire

            John O’Reilly

            David Price

            Elsie Wayne: --4

            NAYS

            Janko Perić

            Carmen Provenzano

            Bob Wood

            Rob Anders

            Leon Benoit

            Cheryl Gallant

            Claude Bachand

            Suzanne Tremblay

            Peter Stoffer: --9

After debate, the question was put on Leon Benoit’s motion to amend and it was agreed to on recorded division:

YEAS

Joe McGuire

John O’Reilly

Janko Perić

David Price

Rob Anders

Leon Benoit

Cheryl Gallant: --7

NAYS

Claude Bachand

Suzanne Tremblay

Peter Stoffer

Elsie Wayne

Carmen Provenzano

Bob Wood:--6

After debate, the question was put on the main motion as amended and it was agreed to on recorded division:

YEAS

Joe McGuire

John O’Reilly

Janko Perić

David Price

Rob Anders

Leon Benoit

Cheryl Gallant:--7

NAYS

Claude Bachand

Louis Plamondon

Peters Stoffer

Elsie Wayne

Carmen Provenzano

Bob Wood:--6

On motion of David Price moved, it was agreed, -- That, at the discretion of the Chair, reasonable travelling expenses, as per the regulations established by the Board of Internal Economy, be paid to witnesses invited to appear before the Committee, and that payment of these expenses be limited to two (2) representatives per organization.

On motion of Joe McGuire, it was agreed, -- That, pursuant to Standing Order 111(4), whenever an Order in Council for appointment or a certificate of nomination for appointment is referred to the Committee, the Clerk shall obtain and circulate to each member of the Committee a copy of the Resume of each appointee.

On motion of John O’Reilly, it was agreed, -- That the Clerk of the Committee be authorized to circulate the documents received only when they exist in both official languages.

On motion of Bob Wood, it was agreed, -- That, unless otherwise ordered by the Committee, when witnesses appear before the Committee, substantive motions, for which a 24 hours’ notice has to be given to the members of the Committee, be considered at the end of the meeting and the putting of the question on any of the motions be deferred to the beginning of the next Committee meeting.

On motion of Elsie Wayne, it was agreed, -- That, pursuant to the 19^th Report of the Procedure and House Affairs Committee, when a member of the Parliamentary Press Gallery wishes to video record a Committee meeting, the Clerk of the Committee be provided, in all circumstances prior to the meeting, with a 48 hours notice.

On motion of David Price, it was agreed, -- That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(1), given the events of September 11, 2001, the resulting increased workload upon the main Committee and the intense focus on defence issues in the foreseeable future, a Sub-Committee on Veterans Affairs be established to inquire into matters relating to Veterans Affairs; that the Sub-Committee be composed of nine (9) members or associate members of which five (5) shall be government members and four (4) shall be opposition members with all parties represented; and that the Sub-Committee be empowered to send for persons, papers and records, to receive evidence, to sit no more than once a week, unless otherwise authorized by the Committee, during a time when the main Committee is not sitting.

On motion of Peter Stoffer, it was agreed, -- That when the Minister is to appear before the Committee, the Chair shall try to hold the meeting in a room in which it can be televised.

At 10:00 a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

José Cadorette

Acting Clerk of the Committee