[Recorded by Electronic Apparatus]
Wednesday, September 20, 1995
.1533 
[English]
The Clerk of the Committee: Hon. members, I see we have a quorum. In conformity with Standing Orders 116, 106.(1), and 106.(2), your first item of business is to elect a chair. I'm ready to receive motions to that effect.
Mr. Culbert.
Mr. Jackson (Bruce - Grey): I move that Roger Simmons be the chair.
The Clerk: Seconded by - Mr. Culbert.
Motion agreed to
The Clerk: I declare Roger Simmons the duly elected chair of this committee and invite him to take the chair.
The Chairman: First let me make the briefest acceptance speech.
Thank you very much. I enjoyed working with you during last spring and winter. I see most of the same faces, which pleases me. It may not please you, but it certainly pleases me.
We're going to miss Rose-Marie Ur, who was on the committee and who has been assigned to another. I am glad to have Andy back, though. Andy was with the committee earlier, as you will recall.
In her absence, let me say we are also going to miss Margaret Bridgman. I thank her for her contribution.
Grant, I understand Sharon is the other member from your party. When she arrives we'll welcome her.
Of course, as I said, it is good to have the other people back. I look forward to working with you.
I would suggest that today we do only what needs to be done. In a moment I will suggest we proceed with the election of the two vice-chairs, first the one from the government party and then the one in opposition to the government party. Then we have a couple of motions to facilitate the work of the subcommittees.
.1535
Otherwise, it would be my intention, subject to your direction, not to get into anything further, but just to identify time for a meeting next week at which we could look at future business. If that's in accordance with your wishes, then I suggest that we should proceed with the election of two vice-chairs.
First I shall entertain a motion for a vice-chair from the government party.
[Translation]
Mr. Patry (Pierrefonds - Dollard): I move that Mr. Jackson be elected vice-president.
[English]
Mr. Hill (Macleod): Mr. Chairman, I wonder if we could have an election rather than a nomination of a simple individual.
The Chairman: As I understand it, the procedure is that we do this by motion, but there's nothing to preclude having more than one motion.
Mr. Hill: The committee of course is master of its own destiny and can have an election. Since the committee is the master of its own destiny, I think it would be appropriate to elect the vice-chairman.
The Chairman: There's no question that that's what we're doing. We're just doing it by a particular method. We're doing it by motion. We have a motion on the floor, and unless somebody has a motion that supersedes it, in a moment I'm going to put that motion. If you don't like the name in that motion, then I suggest you vote against it. If you like it, then you should vote for it. Then we'll have other motions.
Mr. Hill: What I was suggesting is that we would have two names stand. I would move that we add Paul Szabo's name to that list.
The Chairman: I appreciate that. I'm sure Paul does too. But appreciate what I'm trying to say. As I understand it - Clerk, help me here - the procedure here is that we do it by motion. I think you know, Dr. Grant, that we can't have two motions put forward. If you can come up with some superseding motion that allows us to put this one aside and change the rules of the committee, then that's another issue.
I have two interveners, Don Boudria and then Gilles.
Mr. Boudria (Glengarry - Prescott - Russell): I think I've just made myself a member of the committee.
I thought I'd contribute to this last point being raised in that in the House of Commons about 15 minutes ago a very interesting argument was being made on how a committee, notwithstanding the fact that it was master of its own proceedings generally, of course never could usurp the powers of the House. The House was admonished in that regard only moments ago, that we indeed had to follow the proper dictates. As a matter of fact, an argument was made that the proper procedure had not been used in another committee and we should be very careful to ensure that it is in this one and in all others.
So when the chair suggests that we should follow the proper procedure of electing by motion pursuant to rule 782 of Beauchesne, I think that indeed that is the proper way, and indeed the only way, allowed to us by the House.
Although we, as members of this committee, might be masters of our own destiny to a degree, less than half an hour ago we were admonished and told very forcefully by a member of the Reform Party in the House of Commons how we had to ensure that we never usurp the power of the House of Commons in so doing.
[Translation]
Mr. Duceppe (Laurier - Sainte-Marie): I think it's a good idea. In some committees, it has been the best way of proceeding. In a motion, you can put forward many names. Mr. Jackson's name was moved and Mr. Szabo's name could be moved. All he has to say is whether he accepts or not and that would solve one of the problems. Then we could go on and vote on the first motion. If this motion is passed, the others automatically disappear. If the motion is defeated, we would then go on to the second motion. As far as I'm concerned, that could satisfy every one and certainly solve the problem for one and all.
.1540
[English]
Mr. Hill: I just might add that the motion we have is that we elect a vice-chair...not a specific method of electing that vice-chair; and I'm sure you'll agree with me that motion is the motion we're following. The committee surely can determine the method of electing that vice-chair, and that's what I'm requesting.
The Chairman: Perhaps I wasn't sufficiently clear in my understanding - and again, please correct me if I'm wrong, Nancy. The organizational committee meeting is to elect the chair and the vice-chair. So we need no motion to decide to have the election. That's why we're here.
The motion I heard someone put, and which I put a moment ago, was that Ovid Jackson be the vice-chair; not that we elect a vice-chair, but that Ovid Jackson be the vice-chair. Am I correct? So that's the motion we're dealing with right now.
If there's no further intervention on this point, I would put the question. The question is on the motion that Ovid Jackson be vice-chair of the committee for the government party.
Motion agreed to
The Chairman: Now, then, we are to elect a vice-chairman for someone in opposition to the government.
Michel.
[Translation]
Mr. Daviault (Ahuntsic): I move that Pauline Picard be elected Vice-Chair of the committee.
[English]
The Chairman: I guess I should say to Grant - it goes without saying, but since we're spelling this out, we might as well spell it out all the way - that since the motion to elect Ovid was carried, his motion to elect Paul becomes redundant, unless he wants them all from the government side.
We now have a motion from Michel that Pauline Picard be vice-chairman. Discussion?
Mr. Hill: Please just put a notice of motion for Sharon Hayes.
The Chairman: All right, yes, noted.
Motion agreed to
[Translation]
The Chairman: Congratulations.
[English]
We'll try to make it exciting enough for you guys to come back once in a while. I thought we had done something wrong before we had started.
Again, let me say I enjoyed working with Ovid's and Pauline's support during the last session. I have nothing but the kindest things to say about them for their support of the chair and their acting in my absence and otherwise being good vice-chairs. So I thank them and look forward to more of the same.
We have a draft motion that looks as if it's associated with Bernard. Maybe, Bernard, you will want to go with this one.
[Translation]
Mr. Patry: I move that, pursuant to the motion creating a sub-committee on HIVAIDS, carried by the committee on November 3rd, 1994, the aforesaid sub-committee be made up of the following people: Bernard Patry as Chair, with Ovid Jackson, Harold Culbert, Hedy Fry, Rose-Marie Ur, Réal Ménard, Sharon Hayes and Svend Robinson as members.
[English]
An hon. member: No, she's an associate.
The Chairman: He's vice-chair; he understands these things.
This is really pro forma. There's a reason for it. As you know, Sharon is coming on the committee in place of Margaret. That's the reason for the motion Bernard has put down.
Motion agreed to
The Chairman: Paul, why don't you take this one?
.1545
Mr. Szabo (Mississauga South): Similarly, one of the members of our subcommittee on Bill C-7, Ms Bridgman, continues to be an associate of the committee; however, because of her other responsibilities, at her request she would like to withdraw from the subcommittee on Bill C-7.
Dr. Hill has agreed to fill that position on behalf of the Reform Party.
I would therefore move that, pursuant to the motion creating a subcommittee to study Bill C-7, the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, adopted by the committee on April 26, 1994, the said subcommittee be composed as follows: Paul Szabo as chair, with members Dr. Hedy Fry, Rose-Marie Ur, Andy Scott, Pierre de Savoye, and Dr. Grant Hill.
The Chairman: I have a tongue-in-cheek question. Are you fellows - and women, since I suppose that now I have to be politically correct here too - looking for some kind of an award for longevity as a subcommittee?
Mr. Szabo: Yes.
Motion agreed to
The Chairman: I suggest that we should meet on Tuesday at 9 a.m. Is that a possibility? Are we up to that? I suggest that we should talk about future business of the committee at that time.
Is there any further business now? No?
This meeting stands adjourned until Tuesday at 9 a.m.