Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Human Rights
Issue 1 - Minutes
OTTAWA, Monday, October 28, 2002
(1)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights met this day at 5 p.m., in room 257, East Block, for the purpose of organization.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Beaudoin, Fraser, LaPierre, Maheu, and Poy (5).
Also present: Carol Hilling from the Library of Parliament.
Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.
The committee proceeded to organize pursuant to rule 88.
The Clerk of the Committee presided over the election of the Chair.
The Honourable Senator LaPierre moved — That the Honourable Senator Maheu be Chair of the Committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Maheu took the Chair.
The Honourable Senator Beaudoin moved — That the Honourable Senator Rossiter be Deputy Chair of the Committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Fraser —
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; and
That the subcommittee be empowered to make decisions on behalf of the committee with respect to its agenda, to invite witnesses and to schedule hearings.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
It was moved by the Honourable Senator LaPierre — That the committee print copies of its proceedings and that the Chair be authorized to adjust this number to meet demand.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Poy — 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 member of the committee from both the government and the opposition be present.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Beaudoin — That, pursuant to rule 104, the Chair be authorized to report expenses incurred by the committee during the last session.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Fraser —
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 committee'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 committee; and
That the Chair, on behalf of the committee, direct the research staff in the preparation of studies, analyses, summaries and draft reports.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Beaudoin —
That, pursuant to section 32 of the Financial Administration Act, authority to commit funds be conferred on the Chair, the Deputy Chair and the Clerk of the Committee; and
That, pursuant to section 34 of the Financial Administration Act, and Guideline 3:05 of Appendix II of the Rules of the Senate, authority for certifying accounts payable by the Committee be conferred on the Chair or the Deputy Chair together with the Clerk of the Committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Poy — That the committee empower the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure 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.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
It was moved by the Honourable Senator LaPierre — That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be authorized to:
1) determine whether any member of the committee 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.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Beaudoin — That, pursuant to the Senate guidelines for witness 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 question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Poy —
That the Chair be authorized to seek permission from the Senate to permit coverage by electronic media of its public proceedings with the least possible disruption of its hearings; and
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be empowered to allow such coverage at its discretion.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
It was agreed that the Chair should communicate with the other members of the committee to find out if meeting between 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. every second week could be agreeable to them.
It was agreed that members should send their ideas on future business for the committee to the Chair in writing.
It was agreed that the committee's web site be checked for interactive capability with the general public.
At 5:45 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.
ATTEST:
OTTAWA, Monday, November 18, 2002
(2)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights met this day in camera at 5:37 p.m., in room 257, East Block, the Chair, the Honourable Senator Maheu presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Beaudoin, Ferretti Barth, Fraser, Hubley, Maheu, Poy and Rossiter (7).
Also present: Carol Hilling from the Library of Parliament.
The committee proceeded to discuss its future business.
Members agreed that their research staff could remain in the room.
The Chair advised members that the committee would meet every second week from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. in room 257 of the East Block. Members learned that the next two meetings would take place on November 25 and on December 9, 2002.
Members agreed that the committee would finish its study on Canada's possible adherence to the American Convention on Human Rights before tackling any other issue. Members authorised the Chair to seek from the Senate an Order of Reference to that effect, wherein the committee would table its final report on this topic no later than June 27, 2003. Additional witnesses for this study could include Mark Bantey, a Montreal-based lawyer, as well as some academics. The first draft of the committee's final report was circulated to members, for discussion at the November 25 meeting.
As well, members debated whether the committee should focus its future work on international or domestic human rights issues. Possible studies suggested thus far include same-sex marriages and the impacts on human rights of September 11, 2001. The Chair reminded those members who have not already done so to quickly forward to her office their written suggestions for topics to study. Members agreed that the committee should be prepared to look at the annual reports to be tabled by the government according to the Anti-Terrorism Act (S.C. 2001, c. 41).
At 6:30 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.
ATTEST:
Richard Maurel
Acting Clerk of the Committee