Proceedings of the Special Senate Committee on
Anti-terrorism
Issue 1 - Minutes of Proceedings
OTTAWA, Thursday, May 13, 2010
(1)
[English]
The Special Senate Committee on Anti-terrorism met at 11:02 a.m. this day, in room 705, Victoria Building, for the purpose of holding its organization meeting, pursuant to rule 88.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Furey, Jaffer, Joyal, P.C., Marshall, Nolin, Segal, Smith, P.C., Tkachuk and Wallin (9).
In attendance: Dominique Valiquet, Analyst, Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament.
Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.
The clerk of the committee presided over the election of the chair.
The Honourable Senator Furey moved:
That the Honourable Senator Segal do take the chair of this committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Segal took the chair.
The Honourable Senator Segal moved:
That the Honourable Senator Joyal, P.C., be deputy chair of this committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Wallin moved:
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.
The Honourable Senator Marshall moved:
That the committee publish its proceedings; and
That the chair be authorized to set the number of printed copies to meet demand.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Tkachuk moved:
That, pursuant to rule 89, the chair be authorized to hold meetings, to receive and authorize the publication 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.
The Honourable Senator Wallin moved:
That the committee ask the Library of Parliament to assign analysts to the committee;
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.
The Honourable Senator Joyal, P.C., moved:
That, pursuant to section 7, Chapter 3:06 of the Senate Administrative Rules, authority to commit funds be conferred individually on the chair, the deputy chair and the clerk of the committee;
That, pursuant to section 8, Chapter 3:06 of the Senate Administrative Rules, authority for certifying accounts payable by the committee be conferred individually on the chair, the deputy chair, and the clerk of the committee; and
That, notwithstanding the foregoing, in cases related to consultants and personnel services, the authority to commit funds and certify accounts be conferred jointly on the chair and deputy chair.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Wallin moved:
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.
The Honourable Senator Furey moved:
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 an event or meeting related to the work of the committee; or (b) making a presentation related to the work of the committee; and
That the subcommittee report at the earliest opportunity any decisions taken with respect to the designation of members of the committee travelling on committee business.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Marshall moved:
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 question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Wallin moved:
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be empowered to direct communications officer(s) assigned to the committee in the development of communications plans where appropriate and to request the services of the Senate Communications Directorate for the purposes of their development and implementation; and
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be empowered to allow coverage by electronic media of the committee's public proceedings with the least possible disruption of its proceedings, at its discretion.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Joyal, P.C., moved:
That each committee member be allowed to have one staff person present at in camera meetings, unless there is a decision for a particular meeting to exclude all staff.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The committee discussed meeting on Mondays from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
The chair made a statement indicating that the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure would report back to the committee with a proposed agenda.
At 11:20 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
OTTAWA, Monday, May 31, 2010
(2)
[English]
The Special Senate Committee on Anti-terrorism met at 1:00 p.m. this day, in room 9, Victoria Building, the chair, the Honourable Hugh Segal, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Furey, Jaffer, Joyal, P.C., Marshall, Segal, Smith, P.C., Tkachuk and Wallin (8).
In attendance: Dominique Valiquet and Jennifer Bird, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament; Elizabeth Laforest, Communications Officer, Communications Directorate.
Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, May 27, 2010, the committee began its examination on matters relating to anti-terrorism.
WITNESSES:
Canadian Security Intelligence Service:
Charles Bisson, Deputy Director, Operations.
Integrated Threat Assessment Centre:
Monik Beauregard, Director.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police:
Assistant Commissioner Gilles Michaud, National Security Criminal Investigations.
National Defence:
Linda Goldthorp, Director General, Director General Intelligence Production.
The chair made an opening statement.
Mr. Bisson, Ms. Beauregard, Mr. Michaud and Ms. Goldthorp each made a statement and answered questions.
At 3:10 p.m., the meeting was suspended.
At 3:13 p.m., the meeting resumed.
The Honourable Senator Joyal moved:
That the committee adopt the draft first report, prepared in accordance with rule 104.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The committee discussed future business.
At 3:25 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Barbara Reynolds
Clerk of the Committee