Proceedings of the Committee on
Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament
Issue 1 - First and Second Reports of the Committee
Wednesday, February 4, 2004
The Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament has the honour to table its
FIRST REPORT
Pursuant to rule 104, your committee reports that the expenses incurred by the committee during the Second Session of the Thirty-Seventh Parliament were as follows:
Professional & Other Services
$ 7,061.52
Witness Expenses
$ 19,031.00
Total
$ 26,092.52
During the Second Session of the Thirty-Seventh Parliament, your committee met 51 times, totaling 73.6 hours, tabled or presented a total of 12 reports, and heard 52 witnesses.
In its First Report, which was tabled in the Senate on October 29, 2002, your committee reported on its expenses and activities in the First Session of the Thirty-Seventh Parliament, pursuant to rule 104.
On November 6, 2002, your committee presented its Second Report regarding meetings of select committees during adjournments of the Senate. Pursuant to an order of reference from the Senate dated October 31, 2002, your committee recommended that, for the purpose of rule 95(3), select committees of the Senate be permitted to meet at any time on any weekday the Senate stands adjourned during a Senate sitting week.
The report was adopted by the Senate on November 7, 2002, with the addition of the words "Monday to Friday" after the words "on any weekday."
Your committee's Third Report, which was presented on November 20, 2002, was pursuant to an order of reference from the Senate dated November 17, 2002, regarding authorization to travel by the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence within and outside Canada. In its report, your committee noted that the specific proposed trip that gave rise to the original motion has been postponed, and that as the order of reference raised a number of important issues, the deadline for reporting back to the Senate on this order of reference be deleted. The report was adopted by the Senate on November 21, 2002.
In its Fourth Report, which was presented on November 21, 2002, and approved by the Senate on February 5, 2003, your committee considered the issue of depositing committee reports with the Clerk rather than tabling them in the chamber on a day when the Senate is sitting. Your Ccmmittee made a number of recommendations as to how such situations should be handled.
In its Fifth Report, which was presented on December 3, 2002, your committee reported on an order of reference from the Senate dated October 31, 2002, regarding committee meetings during extended adjournments of the Senate. Your committee sought to provide clarification and guidance for determining whether and when committees should meet during adjournments. It reiterated that committees should comply with the existing rule 95(3) to obtain permission of the Senate to meet during extended adjournments, and recommended that a new procedure be put in place for urgent situations. The report was adopted by the Senate on December 10, 2002.
Your committee's Sixth Report, presented on December 4, 2002, and adopted by the Senate on December 5, 2002, recommended, pursuant to an order of reference from the Senate dated November 5, 2002, that rule 86(1)(o) of the Senate be amended to change the name and mandate of the Senate Committee on Fisheries to include "Oceans."
On February 4, 2003, your committee presented its Seventh Report regarding a proposal for a procedure to enable the Senate, following its approval of a report submitted by a select committee, to refer that report to the Government with a request for a comprehensive government response within 150 calendar days. The report recommended amendments to rule 131 to establish the procedure. This report was adopted by the Senate on June 3, 2003.
Your committee's Eighth Report, which was tabled in the Senate on April 10, 2003, was an interim report on the Government's ethics initiative — consisting of "Proposals to amend the Parliament of Canada Act (Ethics Commissioner) and other Acts as a consequence" and "Proposals to amend the Rules of the Senate and the Standing Orders of the House of Commons to implement the 1997 Milliken-Oliver Report" — which had been referred to your committee on February 4, 2003.
On April 30, 2003, your committee tabled an updated version of the Rules of the Senate dated April 2003 as its Ninth Report.
On May 14, 2003, your committee, as its Tenth Report to the Senate, presented its report Bill C-15, An Act to amend the Lobbyists Registration Act, with one amendment. The report was adopted by the Senate on May 15, 2003, and the amendment was subsequently agreed to by the Senate and House.
Your committee's Eleventh Report, which was presented on June 12, 2003, recommended amendments to subsections 5(2) and (3) of the Senators Attendance Policy. The report was adopted by the Senate on June 13, 2003.
On November 3, 2003, as its Twelfth Report, your committee presented its report on Bill C-34, An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act (Ethics Commissioner and Senate Ethics Officer) and other Acts in consequence, which had been referred to it on October 27, 2003.
The bill was reported without amendment, but with a note about a clerical correction.
The report was adopted by the Senate on November 3, 2003.
Respectfully submitted,
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
The Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament has the honour to table its
SECOND REPORT
Your Committee has revised the April 2003 edition of the Rules of the Senate and accordingly tables an updated version dated February 2004, authorized by the Senate.
Respectfully submitted,
LORNA MILNE
Chair