CONTENTS
Tuesday 4 June 1996
Organization
STANDING COMMITTEE ON ESTIMATES
Chair / Président: Curling, Alvin (Scarborough North / -Nord L)
Vice-Chair / Vice-Président: Cordiano, Joseph (Lawrence L)
*Barrett, Toby (Norfolk PC)
Bisson, Gilles (Cochrane South / -Sud ND)
*Brown, Jim (Scarborough West / -Ouest PC)
Brown, Michael A. (Algoma-Manitoulin L)
*Cleary, John C. (Cornwall L)
*Clement, Tony (Brampton South / -Sud PC)
Cordiano, Joseph (Lawrence L)
*Curling, Alvin (Scarborough North / -Nord L)
*Kells, Morley (Etobicoke-Lakeshore PC)
*Martin, Tony (Sault Ste Marie ND)
Rollins, E.J. Douglas (Quinte PC)
*Ross, Lillian (Hamilton West / -Ouest PC)
*Sheehan, Frank (Lincoln PC)
Wettlaufer, Wayne (Kitchener PC)
*In attendance / présents
Clerk pro tem / Greffier par intérim: Todd Decker
Staff / Personnel: Steve Poelking, research officer, Legislative Research Service
The committee met at 1540 in committee room 2.
ORGANIZATION
The Chair (Mr Alvin Curling): I call the standing committee on estimates to order. We should be considering the estimates for 1996-97. What I've asked the clerk to do today is to explain a little how the selection process would go so we'll make the selections in a way that is more effective to all. The last time I attempted this, I don't think I was as effective as the clerk would be, who is quite knowledgeable, of course.
Clerk Pro Tem (Mr Todd Decker): I've provided for all the members the excerpts of standing order 59, which sets out the process by which the selection of estimates is made by this committee. Essentially, each of the three parties on the committee is entitled to select one or two ministries to be considered in two rounds, beginning with the official opposition, then to the third party, then to the government party.
On the first round, the official opposition could select one or two ministries for review for a total of 15 hours. If one is selected, that single ministry could be reviewed for a maximum of 15 hours. If two are selected, both of them could be reviewed for a combined maximum of 15 hours, and how the division of those 15 hours takes place is up to the designating party. It works the same way in each of the two rounds, so that at the end of the time the committee has selected anywhere between six and 12 ministries for review.
Those ministries not selected are deemed to have been adopted by the committee, and the Chair will make a report back to the House reporting those estimates. They're deemed to be adopted and concurred in by the House, and then the committee, by the third week of November this year, must make a report to the House on the estimates it selected and considered.
The purpose of today's meeting is simply for each of the three parties to make their designations and for the committee to consider by what date you'd like to commence considering those estimates, taking account of the need for the ministries and the critics to prepare for the beginning of those considerations.
The Chair: That being said, I will then ask the official opposition to make their selection of one or two.
Mr John C. Cleary (Cornwall): Thank you, Mr Chairman. The Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Health.
The Chair: Education and health, I hear from the opposition. And are you asking the amount of time for each to be divided equally?
Mr Cleary: If that's what the rules are, we'll split it equally, yes.
The Chair: That will be seven and a half hours for each. The third party?
Mr Tony Martin (Sault Ste Marie): I'm going to ask for the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Tourism.
The Chair: Are you asking for the same process, to be split --
Mr Martin: Just one ministry.
The Chair: Sorry. Just one ministry you're asking for this time.
Mr Martin: We get another round, right?
The Chair: Yes. Are you asking for the full 15 hours on that?
Mr Martin: Yes.
The Chair: Okay. We ask the government side now.
Mr Tony Clement (Brampton South): Thank you, Mr Chairman. I choose Intergovernmental Affairs, please.
The Chair: And 15 hours on that?
Mr Clement: Correct, up to 15 hours.
The Chair: Now for the second round for the Liberals.
Mr Cleary: So we can pick another 15 hours?
The Chair: Yes.
Mr Cleary: The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Transportation, shared.
The Chair: Agriculture and transportation, five and a half and five and a half. Third party?
Mr Martin: I'm going to call the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines and the Ministry of Natural Resources. It's the same minister.
The Chair: Another 15 hours.
Mr Martin: Split 50-50.
The Chair: The government?
Mr Clement: I choose francophone affairs, please.
The Chair: Up to 15 hours, Mr Clement.
Mr Clement: That's right, another very important issue.
The Chair: We have then exhausted the selection of the ministries, and the only other matter to be settled now would be, when should we start?
Mr Clement: I suggest that the subcommittee should meet to consider this issue.
The Chair: Is that okay with members of the subcommittee, to meet and discuss this?
Mr Martin: No problem.
The Chair: Will this be a travelling --
Mr Clement: I'm in your hands. If you're prepared to defend it in the House, I wish you Godspeed.
The Chair: That being it, there's no other matter to be discussed. The committee stands adjourned.
The committee adjourned at 1546.