Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Transport and Communications
Issue 1 - Evidence, March 9, 2010
OTTAWA, Tuesday, March 9, 2010
The Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications met this day at 9:35 a.m., pursuant to rule 88 of the Rules of the Senate, to organize the activities of the committee.
[English]
Keli Hogan, Clerk of the Committee: Honourable senators, as clerk of your committee, it is my duty to preside over the election of the chair. I am ready to receive a motion to that effect. Are there any nominations?
Senator Housakos: I would like to nominate Senator Dawson, who was the chair in the previous session and did an outstanding job. He created a spirit of cooperation. I am sure as the chair he will do the same this time around.
Ms. Hogan: Are there any other nominations?
It is moved by the Honourable Senator Housakos that the Honourable Senator Dawson do take the chair of this committee. Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
Ms. Hogan: I declare the motion carried.
Senator Dennis Dawson (Chair) in the chair.
[Translation]
The Chair: Thank you for your confidence. Now, a motion must be moved to elect a deputy chair.
[English]
Senator Pépin: I propose Senator Housakos. As he so appreciates the qualities of our chair, I am quite sure he will work well with him.
[Translation]
The Chair: Are there any other nominations?
Since there are no other nominations, I declare Senator Housakos elected as deputy chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications.
We also need a recommendation to elect another member of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure.
[English]
I need another member for the steering committee.
Senator Housakos: I propose Senator Linda Frum.
The Chair: Are there any other nominations?
I declare Senator Frum elected as a member of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure.
We have several technical proposals that are coming through. I do not think we will have much of a debate on them. We need a motion to publish the committee's proceedings.
Senator Mercer: I so move.
The Chair: So moved and adopted.
We need an authorization to hold meetings and to receive evidence when a quorum is not present. This is a technical motion that is always passed.
Senator Housakos: I so move.
The Chair: There being no opposition, the motion is adopted.
[Translation]
Item 6, the financial report:
It is moved that the committee adopt the draft first report, prepared in accordance with rule 104.
[English]
We had a budget from last session, both for internal and travelling reasons, that was not adopted because we did not finish the session in the spirit of cooperation. Senator Plett is ready to propose this motion.
Senator Plett: I so move.
The Chair: Adopted.
The next motion relates to research staff and reads as follows:
That the committee ask the Library of Parliament to assign analysts 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 deemed necessary . . .;
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.
Senator Merchant: I so move.
The Chair: Adopted.
We now turn to a motion requesting authority to commit funds and certify accounts. It reads:
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; . . . .
That is a change. Previously, the chair could do it alone. Now it has to be done by all.
Will someone make the proposal?
So moved. Adopted.
The next motion relates to travel and reads:
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.
Senator Plett: I so move.
The Chair: Adopted.
The next motion has to do with the designation of members travelling on committee business and reads:
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 . . .; 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.
Senator Mercer: I so move.
The Chair: Adopted.
Next is the motion dealing with the travelling and living expenses of witnesses. It reads:
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.
Senator Zimmer: I so move.
The Chair: Adopted.
The motion relates to communications and reads:
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;
That the chair be authorized to seek permission from the Senate to permit coverage by electronic media of the committee's public proceedings with the least possible disruption of the hearings; and
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be empowered to allow such coverage at its discretion.
So moved and adopted.
The final motion states that the time slots for regular meetings of the committee be Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and Wednesday from 6:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. The start time of 6:45 p.m. is a modification because we are trying to give a little more time between the Wednesday afternoon meetings and the Wednesday night meetings.
Before going forward, if I may, the committee has a new representative from the Communications Directorate. Perhaps she could introduce herself.
Mona Ishack, Communications Officer, Senate Communications Directorate: Good morning. I am Mona Ishack and I am with the Senate Communications Directorate.
The Chair: Terrence Thomas, our research analyst from the Library of Parliament, has been working with the committee on this report. We will be celebrating the first anniversary of this report. We started about a year ago.
Is there anything else to discuss before the committee moves in camera to talk about future business?
We require a formal resolution stating that it is agreed that each member of the committee be allowed to have staff present at in camera meetings unless there is a decision to exclude all staff from a particular meeting. Once we establish that at the beginning of the session, we do not have to repeat it all the time; and if at some time we want to exclude staff, all we have to do is exclude them. It is agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: We will now proceed in camera.
(The committee continued in camera.)