Proceedings of the Subcommittee on
Transportation Safety
Issue 1 - Evidence - October 30 meeting
OTTAWA, Thursday, October 30, 1997
The Subcommittee on Transportation Safety of the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications met this day at 11:45 a.m. to organize the activities of the committee.
[English]
Ms Catherine Piccinin, Clerk of the Committee: Honourable senators, it is my duty as clerk of this subcommittee to preside over the election of the chair. I am ready to receive motions to that effect.
Senator Bacon: I move that Senator Forrestall be chairman of the subcommittee.
Ms Piccinin: The Honourable Senator Bacon moves that the Honourable Senator Forrestall be chairman of this committee. Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt this motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
Ms Piccinin: I declare the motion carried, and I invite the Honourable Senator Forrestall to take the Chair.
Senator J. Michael Forrestall (Chairman) in the Chair.
The Chairman: Thank you very much for this honour.
Do we have a motion to elect a deputy chairman?
Senator Roberge: I move that Senator Adams be the deputy chairman.
The Chairman: Is it agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: Congratulations, Senator Adams.
I do not need seconders for these motions, but I do need a motion:
That the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the subcommittee be empowered to make decisions on behalf of the subcommittee with respect to its agenda, to invite witnesses and schedule hearings.
Senator Roberge: I so move.
The Chairman: Is it agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: The motion is carried.
We need a motion:
That the subcommittee print 200 copies of its Proceedings and that the Chairman be authorized to adjust this number to meet demand.
Senator Bacon: I so move.
The Chairman: Is it agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: The motion is carried.
Motion No. 5 reads as follows:
That, pursuant to Rule 89, the Chairman be authorized to hold meetings, to receive and authorize the printing of the evidence when a quorum is not present, provided that a representative of each party is present.
Is there any discussion before I ask someone to move such a motion? We are small in number, and so our quorum is two. It would be quite unfortunate if we were not able to take advantage of the presence of a witness. Weather conditions and a variety of other reasons could reduce us to one or two. It would be a shame not to accommodate. With that general understanding, do we have a motion?
Senator Mercier: I so move.
The Chairman: Is it agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: The motion is carried.
We need a motion:
That the subcommittee ask the Library of Parliament to assign research officers to the subcommittee; and
That the Chair, on behalf of the subcommittee, direct the research staff in the preparation of studies, analyses, summaries and draft reports.
Senator Mercier: I so move.
The Chairman: Is it agreed, honourable senators?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: The motion is carried.
We need a motion:
That, pursuant to the Senate guidelines for witnesses expenses, the subcommittee may reimburse reasonable travelling and living expenses for no more than two witnesses from any one organization and payment will take place upon application.
I learned at a meeting earlier today, that such application should be made within 60 days.
Senator Bacon: I so move.
The Chairman: Is it agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: The motion is carried.
The time slot for regular meetings would appear to be Wednesdays at 5:00, with the proviso that, if our main committee is not sitting, we could meet on Thursdays at 11:30.
Senator Roberge: Normally we meet on Tuesdays at 11:00.
Senator Bacon: The committee as a whole can meet either on Tuesday or Thursday, which is why Wednesday is set for this subcommittee. The committee as a whole could meet twice a week, depending on the number of witnesses we have. Wednesday would be a good time slot for this subcommittee.
The Chairman: We generally agree upon the time slot, and we also generally agree that we will continue to meet here in this room except if we have an over-flow crowd.
We will now continue in camera in order to discuss budgetary considerations.
The committee continued in camera.