[Recorded by Electronic Apparatus]
Tuesday, September 24, 1996
.1533 
[English]
The Clerk of the Committee: Honourable members, there is a quorum.
To conform with Standing Orders 106(1) and 106(2), your first item of business is to elect a chairperson.
[Translation]
I am ready to accept motions to that effect.
Mr. McCormick.
[English]
Mr. McCormick (Hastings - Frontenac - Lennox and Addington): I'd like to put forward the name of the person who has the most experience and has spent the most hours and has made more contributions than any member we've had on this committee in the last three years.
A voice: Antoine.
Mr. McCormick: It could be Antoine - you're in a very close race - but it's Maurizio Bevilacqua. It's a very close race, but we just snuck in under the nose there.
A voice: Would you be willing to accept the nomination?
Mr. Bevilacqua (York North): I sure will.
The Clerk: It has been moved by Larry McCormick,
[Translation]
seconded by Antoine Dubé, that Maurizio Bevilacqua be elected chairman of the committee.
[English]
Motion agreed to
.1535
The Chairman: Are there any motions for the vice-chair?
[Translation]
Mr. Laurin.
Mr. Laurin (Joliette): I would like to nominate Ms. Francine Lalonde as vice-chair.
Mr. Dubé (Lévis): I second the motion.
[English]
Motion agreed to
The Chairman: Do I hear any nominations for second vice-chair?
A voice: I nominate Ms Augustine.
Motion agreed to
The Chairman: Congratulations to both Mrs. Lalonde and Ms Augustine.
I want to deal with some items. I know this is not the tradition for the first meeting, but I do want to make life easier for members of Parliament who are trying to guide their lives and arrange for times when they should be available for meetings.
I plan to hold meetings on Tuesday between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and also from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.; on Wednesday from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.; and on Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
I know you're looking at me as though...but we have some items to deal with. If we have no business to take care of, there's no reason for us to meet. I just want to tell the members of this committee that we will be reviewing, according to various sources, a number of major pieces of legislation, one of which may be the Canada Pension Plan, which will require a bit of time to deal with.
Another possible issue that will come up is the Canada Labour Code. We also have referred to the committee a bill that deals with minimum wage law, Bill C-35, and from a Reform Party member a private member's bill that I think - correct me if I'm wrong - deals with severance pay. Those are the items we may have to deal with.
I'm going to call a steering committee meeting for next Wednesday. The steering committee members will probably be Mrs. Lalonde, Ms Augustine, Mr. Proud - and Mr. Nault will interchange accordingly - and Mr. McClelland.
More or less, that is a synopsis of what we plan to do.
I'm responding to the call from the Reform Party. The majority of the members come from the west, and they felt that Monday would be difficult. The Bloc Québécois stated that Monday morning would also be a difficult time to get together. I just want to give you that framework so that you can organize your lives accordingly, but it does reflect the type of discussion we've had here previously as members of this committee. I trust that meets with your approval.
This meeting is adjourned to the call of the chair.