RNNR Committee Meeting

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House of Commons Emblem

Standing Committee on Natural Resources

NUMBER 001

2nd SESSION

41st PARLIAMENT

EVIDENCE

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

[Recorded by Electronic Apparatus]

(1540)

[English]

The Clerk of the Committee (Mr. Rémi Bourgault):

Honourable members of the committee,

[Translation]

I see a quorum.

[English]

I must inform members that the clerk of the committee can only receive motions for the election of the chair. The clerk cannot receive other types of motions, cannot entertain points of order, nor participate in debate.

[Translation]

We can now proceed to the election of the chair.

Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the chair must be a member of the government party. I am ready to receive motions for the chair.

Mr. Julian, you have the floor.

Mr. Peter Julian (Burnaby—New Westminster, NDP):

I nominate Mr. Leon Benoit.

The Clerk:

Are there any further motions?

[English]

Mr. Claude Gravelle (Nickel Belt, NDP):

Yes, I'd like to nominate Brad Trost. He was looking for some anti Leon Benoit supporters, so I'll nominate Brad. We'll just see how strong that anti-Leon coalition is.

Leon, what did you say in the elevator?

Mr. Peter Julian:

This is a real election, isn't it? Great. A campaign is breaking out on the Hill.

Mr. Leon Benoit (Vegreville—Wainwright, CPC):

I can't be held responsible for what I said in the elevator. That was in camera.

Mr. Brad Trost (Saskatoon—Humboldt, CPC):

I think they say discretion is the greater part of valour, and I'm a very discreet person at times.

Mr. Ryan Leef (Yukon, CPC):

So you humbly accept.

Mr. Brad Trost:

I just don't think I have quite the authority around this place to accept a position like that.

The Clerk:

Are there any other motions?

Unless I have unanimous consent, going with the rules, since there was more than one candidate proposed, I have to go to a secret ballot.

Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

The Clerk: Unless there is unanimous consent, I know Mr. Trost's desire is to—

Mr. Brad Trost:

I'm in favour of unanimous consent.

Mr. Claude Gravelle:

I'm not sure if I am.

Mr. Brad Trost:

If I win this one, guys, I'm in real trouble.

The Clerk:

Do I have unanimous consent?

Some hon. members: Agreed.

(Motion agreed to)

The Clerk

[Translation]

I declare the motion carried, and Mr. Leon Benoit duly elected chair of the committee.

[English]

Before inviting Mr. Benoit to take the chair, if the committee wishes, we will proceed to the election of the vice-chairs. Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2) the first vice-chair must be a member of the official opposition.

[Translation]

I am now prepared to receive motions for the first vice-chair.

Are there any further motions?

[English]

Hon. Geoff Regan (Halifax West, Lib.):

Mr. Chair, I nominate Mr. Julian.

The Clerk:

Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?

(Motion agreed to)

The Clerk: I declare the motion carried and Mr. Peter Julian duly elected first vice-chair of the committee.

[Translation]

The Clerk:

Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the second vice-chair must be a member of the opposition from a party other than the official opposition.

[English]

I'm now prepared to receive a motion for the second vice-chair.

[Translation]

Ms. Christine Moore (Abitibi—Témiscamingue, NDP):

I nominate Mr. Geoff Regan.

After the election, I would like to table a motion. If time permits, I would like you to give me the floor after the election. It would be very kind.

The Clerk:

Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?

(Motion agreed to)

[English]

The Clerk:

I declare the motion carried and Mr. Geoff Regan duly elected second vice-chair.

I now invite Mr. Leon Benoit to take the chair.

The Chair (Mr. Leon Benoit (Vegreville—Wainwright, CPC)):

First of all, I want to thank all of you for your ringing endorsement for chair, especially Mike Allen, who swore he'd never vote for me. He didn't have to again. So thanks, Mike, for that.

I congratulate Mr. Julian and Mr. Regan on their election as vice-chairs.

That's all we have on the agenda for today, but I hope people will come back to the next meeting, which is on Monday, to deal with routine motions. The clerk will have the routine motions from last time and then any that parties wish to add, of course, which we can debate and vote on.

That is it for the meeting today.

Mr. Julian, go ahead.

Mr. Peter Julian:

Normally we'd adopt routine motions now. I don't understand why we wouldn't be going through that at this point.

The Chair:

That is all that was on the agenda, so if we could prepare for routine motions for next time.... I understand from previous meetings that they can take some time, so let's allow for that and get on with that at the next meeting.

Mr. Peter Julian:

Normally it's done at the same time.

The Chair:

Not really. There is no set way. I've had it both ways, Mr. Julian, in the years I've been here. I don't know how many times, but on a number of occasions, we've only dealt with the election of the chair and the vice-chairs; on other occasions we've dealt with routine motions, but it isn't on the agenda.

Yes, Mr. Zimmer.

(1545)

Mr. Bob Zimmer (Prince George—Peace River, CPC):

I move to adjourn the meeting.

The Chair:

The meeting is adjourned.