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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 3

Thursday, June 23, 2011

The Standing Committee on Official Languages met at 8:48 a.m. this day, in Room C-110, 1 Wellington Street, the Chair, the Hon. Michael D. Chong, presiding.

Members of the Committee present: Robert Aubin, Hon. Mauril Bélanger, Hon. Michael D. Chong, Royal Galipeau, Jacques Gourde, Dan Harris, Guy Lauzon, Costas Menegakis, Élaine Michaud, Bernard Trottier and John Weston.

Acting Members present: Peter Julian for Yvon Godin.

In attendance: House of Commons: Marie-France Renaud, Procedural Clerk . Library of Parliament: Lucie Lecomte, Analyst.

The Committee proceeded to the consideration of matters related to Committee business.

It was agreed, — That the Committee resumed the debate of June 21 2011 on the motion moved by Royal Galipeau during the meeting on June 16 2011, which read as follows:

“That the witnesses from any one organization shall be allowed ten (10) minutes to make their opening statement. During the questioning of witnesses there shall be allocated seven (7) minutes for the first round of questioning, and thereafter five (5) minutes shall be allocated to each questioner in the second and subsequent rounds of questioning”;

and the amendment of Mauril Bélanger read as follows:

“That the motion be amended by adding after the words “subsequent rounds of questioning” the following: “That the order of questions be as follows: in the first (7) seven-minute round, the order shall be: New Democrats, Liberals, and Conservatives. In the second (5) five-minute round, the order shall be: New Democrats, Conservatives, and Liberals. In the third (5) five-minute round, the order shall be: New Democrats, Conservatives, and Liberals. In the fourth (5) five-minute round, the order shall be: Conservatives, New Democrats, and Liberals”;

and the subamendment of Dan Harris read as follows:

“That the amendment be amended by replacing the words “In the third (5) five-minute round, the order shall be: New Democrats, Conservatives, and Liberals. In the fourth (5) five-minute round, the order shall be: Conservatives, New Democrats, and Liberals” with the words “In the third (5) five-minute round, the order shall be: Conservatives, New Democrats, and Conservatives. In the fourth (5) five-minute round, the order shall be: Conservatives, New Democrats, and Liberals”;

and the subamendment of Mauril Bélanger read as follows:

“That the submandment be amended by replacing the words “In the fourth (5) five-minute round, the order shall be: Conservatives, New Democrats, and Liberals” with the words “In the fourth (5) five-minute round, the order shall be: New Democrats, Conservatives, Liberals, and Conservatives”.

After debate, the question was put on the subamendment of Mauril Bélanger and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 5; NAYS: 6.

The Committee resumed the consideration of the subamendment of Dan Harris.

After debate, the question was put on the subamendment of Dan Harris and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 5; NAYS: 6.

The Committee resumed the consideration of the amendment of Mauril Bélanger.

Debate arose thereon.

Dan Harris moved, — That the amendment be amended by replacing the words “That the motion be amended by adding after the words “subsequent rounds of questioning” the following: “That the order of questions be as follows: in the first (7) seven-minute round, the order shall be: New Democrats, Liberals, and Conservatives. In the second (5) five-minute round, the order shall be: New Democrats, Conservatives, and Liberals. In the third (5) five-minute round, the order shall be: New Democrats, Conservatives, and Liberals. In the fourth (5) five-minute round, the order shall be: Conservatives, New Democrats, and Liberals” with the words “The the order of questions be as follows: in the first (7) seven-minute round, the order shall be: New Democrats, Conservatives, Liberals, and Conservatives. In the second (5) five-minute round, the order shall be: New Democrats, Conservatives, and New Democrats. In the third (5) five-minute round, the order shall be: Conservatives, New Democrats, and Liberals. In the fourth (5) five-minute round, the order shall be: Conservatives, New Democrats, and Conservatives”.

After debate, the question was put on the subamendment of Dan Harris and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 4; NAYS: 7.

The Committee resumed the consideration of the amendment of Mauril Bélanger.

The question was put on the modification of Mauril Bélanger and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 5; NAYS: 6.

The Committee resumed the consideration of the motion of Royal Galipeau.

Mauril Bélanger moved, — That the motion be amended by adding after the words “subsequent rounds of questioning” the following: “That the order of questions be as follows: in the first (7) seven-minute round, the order shall be: New Democrats, Conservatives, Liberals, and Conservatives. In the second (5) five-minute round, the order shall be: New Democrats, Conservatives, New Democrats, Conservatives, Liberals, Conservatives, New Democrats, and Conservatives. The third round shall be the same as the first for a duration of five (5) minutes per member.”.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Mauril Bélanger and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 5; NAYS: 6.

The Committee resumed the consideration of the motion of Royal Galipeau.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to.

Royal Galipeau moved, — That the order of questions for the first round of questioning shall be as follows: Official Opposition, government party, third party, and government party. Questioning during the second round shall alternate between the government members and Opposition members in the following fashion: government party, Official Opposition, government party, Official Opposition, government party, Official Opposition, and government party; based on the principle that each committee member should have a full opportunity to question the witness. If time permits, further rounds shall repeat the pattern of the first two at the discretion of the chair.

Debate arose thereon.

Mauril Bélanger moved, — That the motion be amended by adding before the words “based on the principle” the following: “and the third party.”.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Mauril Bélanger and it was negatived on the following recorded division: YEAS: Robert Aubin, Mauril Bélanger, Dan Harris, Peter Julian, Élaine Michaud — 5; NAYS: Royal Galipeau, Jacques Gourde, Guy Lauzon, Costas Menegakis, Bernard Trottier, John Weston — 6.

Robert Aubin moved, — That the motion be amended by replacing all the words after “That” with the words “the order of questions be as follows: In the first round, the order shall be: New Democrats, Conservatives, Liberals, and New Democrats. In the second round, the order shall be: New Democrats, Conservatives, New Democrats, Conservatives, New Democrats, Conservatives, Liberals, and Conservatives.”.

Debate arose thereon.

At 10:46 a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Simon Larouche
Clerk of the Committee

2011/07/27 4:00 p.m.