Proceedings of the Subcommittee on 
Forestry

Issue 1 - Evidence, December 16, 1999

The Subcommittee on Forestry of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry met this day at 11:10 a.m. to organize the activities of the committee.

Mr. Blair Armitage, Clerk of the Committee: Honourable senators, I see a quorum. Pursuant to rule 88, it is my responsibility to preside over the election of the chair.

Senator St. Germain: I move:

That the Honourable Senator Fitzpatrick be Chair of the committee.

Mr. Armitage: Are there any other motions to that effect? There being none, I put the question to the committee. Is it agreed, honourable senators, that Senator Fitzpatrick be the chair of the subcommittee?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

Mr. Armitage: I invite Senator Fitzpatrick to take the chair.

Senator Ross Fitzpatrick (Chairman) in the Chair.

[English]

The Chairman: The next item is the election of the deputy chair. I should like to have a motion to that effect.

Senator Fairbairn: I move:

That the Honourable Senator St. Germain be Deputy Chair of the subcommittee.

The Chairman: There being no other nominations, is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Chairman: Carried. I would entertain the following motion:

That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of the Chair, the Deputy Chair and one other member of the committee to be designated after the usual consultation;

That the Subcommittee be empowered to make decisions on behalf of the Committee with respect to its agenda, to invite witnesses and schedule hearings; and

That the Subcommittee report its decisions to the Committee.

Senator St. Germain: I so move.

The Chairman: Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Chairman: Carried.

Senator Fairbairn: I move:

That the Committee print 220 copies of its Proceedings and that the Chair be authorized to adjust this number to meet demand.c

The Chairman: Is it agreed, honourable senators?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Chairman: Carried.

Senator Fairbairn: I move:

That, pursuant to rule 89, the Chair 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 the government and a representative from the opposition are present.

The Chairman: Is it agreed, honourable senators?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Chairman: The motion is carried.

Senator St. Germain: I move:

That the Committee ask the Library of Parliament to assign research officers to the committee;

That the Chair be authorized to seek authority from the Senate to engage the services of such counsel and technical, clerical and other personnel as may be necessary for the purpose of the subcommittee's examination and consideration of such bills, subject-matters of bills and estimates as are referred to it;

That the subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be authorized to retain the services of such experts as may be required by the work of the subommittee; and

That the Chair, on behalf of the subommittee, direct the research staff in the preparation of studies, analyses, summaries and draft reports.

The Chairman: Is it agreed?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Chairman: Carried.

Senator Fairbairn: Mr. Chairman, I move:

That, pursuant to section 32 of the Financial Administration Act, authority to commit funds be conferred on the Chair or, in the Chair's absence, the Deputy Chair; and

That, pursuant to section 34 of the Financial Administration Act, and Guideline 3:05 of the Appendix II of the Rules of the Senate, authority for certifying accounts payable by the subommittee be conferred individually on the Chair, the Deputy Chair, and the Clerk of the subcommittee.

The Chairman: Honourable senators, is it agreed?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Chairman: Carried.

I would entertain the following motion:

That the committee empower the Steering Committee to designate, as required, one or more members of the committee and/or such staff as may be necessary to travel on assignment on behalf of the committee; and

That the subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be authorized to:

1) determine whether any member of the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce is on "official business" for the purposes of paragraph 8(3)(a) of the Senators Attendance Policy, published in the Journals of the Senate on Wednesday, June 3, 1998; and

2) consider any member of the committee to be on "official business" if that member is: (a) attending a function, event or meeting related to the work of the committee; or (b) making a presentation related to the work of the committee.

Senator St. Germain: I so move.

The Chairman: Is it agreed, honourable senators?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Chairman: Carried.

Senator St. Germain: I move:

That, pursuant to the Senate guidelines for witnesses' expenses, the committee may reimburse reasonable travelling and living expenses for one witness from any one organization and payment will take place upon application, but that the Chair be authorized to approve expenses for a second witness should there be exceptional circumstances.

The Chairman: Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Chairman: Carried.

Mr. Armitage: Mr. Chairman, for the next motion, you do not need the first paragraph, only the final paragraph. The main committee has already received the power to seek permission from the Senate to permit coverage by electronic media of its public proceedings with the least possible disruption of its hearings.

Senator Fairbairn: I move:

That is subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be empowered to allow such coverage at its discretion.

The Chairman: Is it agreed?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Chairman: The motion is carried.

Mr. Armitage: We can discuss the remaining items at a later date.

Senator St. Germain: Mr. Chairman, for the time slot, I thought we had discussed the possibility of Tuesday evenings. We should get on to that quickly so that we can establish whether there are conflicts. I move:

That the subcommittee meet on Tuesday evenings.

The Chairman: Honourable senators, is it your pleasure to adopt that motion?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Chairman: The motion is carried. This subcommittee meeting is adjourned.

The committee adjourned.