Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Legal and Constitutional Affairs
Issue 14 - Minutes of Proceedings
OTTAWA, Wednesday, April 12, 2000
(19)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs met this day at 3:49 p.m. in Room 257, East Block, the Chair, the Honourable Lorna Milne, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Andreychuk, Banks, Beaudoin, Christensen, Cools, Fraser, Hays, Joyal, P.C., Lynch-Staunton, Milne, Moore, Murray, P.C., Nolin, Pearson, Pépin, and Poy (16).
Other senators present: The Honourable Senator Oliver (1).
In attendance: From the Research Branch of the Library of Parliament: Nancy Holmes and Jay Sinha, Research Officers.
Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.
Pursuant to the Order of Reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, March 28, 2000, the Committee began its examination of Bill C-2, An Act respecting the election of members to the House of Commons, repealing other Acts relating to elections and making consequential amendments to other Acts (see Proceedings of the Committee, Issue No. 12 dated March 29, 2000, for full text of Order of Reference.)
WITNESSES:
From the Canadian Taxpayers' Federation:
Walter Robinson, Federal Director.
As an individual:
Bernard Côté.
From Elections Canada:
Jean-Pierre Kingsley, Chief Electoral Officer.
Tom McMahon, Acting Director, Legal Services;
Janice Vézina, Director, Election Financing;
Diane Bruyère, Assistant Director of Operations, Electoral Coordination.
Mr. Robinson made a presentation and answered questions.
At 4:52 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 5:10 p.m., the committee resumed.
Mr. Côté made a presentation and answered questions.
Mr. Kingsley made a presentation and, together with Mr. McMahon, answered questions.
Mr. Kingsley tabled a document entitled "Notes for an Appearance By Mr. Jean-Pierre Kingsley, Chief Electoral Officer of Canada, before the Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Bill C-2 -- The Canada Elections Act, April 12, 2000" with the Clerk of the Committee and filed as Exhibit No. 5900 L1/C-2-14 "1".
At 7:30 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.
ATTEST:
OTTAWA, Thursday, April 13, 2000
(20)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs met this day at 10:56 a.m. in room 257, East Block, the Chair, the Honourable Lorna Milne, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Andreychuk, Beaudoin, Buchanan, P.C., Cools, Fraser, Hays, Joyal, P.C., Milne, Moore, Pearson, and Mahovlich (11).
In attendance: From the Research Branch of the Library of Parliament: Nancy Holmes and Jay Sinha, Research Officers.
Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.
Pursuant to the Order of Reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, March 28, 2000, the committee began its examination of Bill C-2, An Act respecting the election of members to the House of Commons, repealing other Acts relating to elections and making consequential amendments to other Acts (see Proceedings of the Committee, Issue No. 12 dated March 29, 2000, for full text of Order of Reference).
WITNESSES:
From Democracy Watch:
Aaron Freeman, Board Member.
From the Privy Council Office:
Michael Peirce, Director of Legal Operations, Legislation and House Planning/Counsel;
Isabelle Mondou, Counsel, Legislation and House Planning/Counsel;
Stéphane Perrault, Counsel, Human Rights Law Section, Department of Justice.
Mr. Freeman made a presentation and answered questions.
Mr. Peirce, together with Mr. Perrault, answered questions.
At 12:05 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 12:21 p.m., the committee resumed.
It was agreed, on division, that clauses on which an amendment is anticipated be grouped together.
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Moore that the Committee do now proceed to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-2, An Act respecting the election of members to the House of Commons, repealing other Acts relating to elections and making consequential amendments to other Acts.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted, on division.
It was agreed that the title stand postponed.
It was agreed that clause 1 stand postponed.
It was agreed that clauses 2 to 18 carry, on division.
Clause 18.1 having been called, debate ensued.
The Honourable Senator Joyal, P.C., read, with the permission of the committee, a letter dated Wednesday, April 12, 2000, forwarded by him to the Honourable Don Boudria, P.C., M.P., Leader of the Government in the House of Commons.
After further debate, it was agreed that clause 18.1 carry, on division.
It was agreed that clauses 19 to 577 carry, on division.
It was agreed that schedule 1 carry, on division.
It was agreed that schedule 2 carry, on division.
It was agreed that schedule 3 carry, on division.
It was agreed that clause 1 carry.
It was agreed that the title carry.
It was agreed that the Bill carry, on division.
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Cools that the Bill be reported to the Senate without amendment.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted, on division.
At 12:45 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.
Till Heyde
Clerk of the Committee