Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Agriculture and Forestry
Issue 1 - Evidence - Meeting of June 14, 2011
OTTAWA, Tuesday, June 14, 2011
The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry met this day at 5:05 p.m., pursuant to rule 88 of the Rules of the Senate, to organize the activities of the committee.
[English]
Kevin Pittman, Clerk of the Committee: Honourable senators, there is a quorum. As clerk of your committee, it is my duty to preside over the election of the chair.
[Translation]
I am ready to receive a motion to that effect.
Senator Robichaud: I nominate the Honourable Senator Mockler for chair of the committee.
[English]
Mr. Pittman: Are there any other motions?
Senator Ogilvie: I move the nomination of Senator Plett.
Mr. Pittman: Will there be a vote?
Senator Plett: No, there will not.
Senator Ogilvie: He has declined the nomination.
Senator Robichaud: I wanted to vote for you.
Senator Fairbairn: Me, too.
Senator Robichaud: No disrespect to Senator Mockler.
[Translation]
Mr. Pittman: It is moved by Senator Robichaud that Senator Mockler be elected chair of the committee.
[English]
Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
Mr. Pittman: I invite the Honourable Senator Mockler to take the chair.
Senator Percy Mockler (Chair) in the chair.
The Chair: Honourable senators, thank you for putting your confidence in me. There is no doubt that we have experience around the table with our last report, and I take this opportunity to thank you very much for the outstanding job that each and every one did with the last report.
I would also like to take this opportunity to recognize our new clerk, Mr. Kevin Pittman.
[Translation]
Mr. Pittman, thank you very much for joining us. I have no doubt that you will do an excellent job. You are professional. Together with the committee members, we will fulfil our duties pursuant to the order of reference we will adopt for the next study.
[English]
I would also like to recognize, on the record, Ms. Josée Thérien, our previous clerk. She is not here. We have had some changes at the clerk level. Let it be on the record.
I will share this, honourable senators, on our behalf, to say thank you to Ms. Thérien for an outstanding job.
[Translation]
We thank her for her tireless work for the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry.
[English]
Then, honourable senators, if you permit me, we will be moving to Item No. 2, election of deputy chair.
I, the chair, will open nominations.
Senator Plett: I would like to nominate Senator Robichaud.
[Translation]
The Chair: It is moved by Senator Plett, and seconded by Senator Rivard, that Senator Fernand Robichaud be elected deputy chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry.
Senator Robichaud: I accept.
The Chair: You accept?
Senator Robichaud: If there are no other nominations.
[English]
The Chair: Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Therefore, the motion is adopted.
[Translation]
Congratulations, Senator Robichaud. You will without a doubt help us fulfil our mandate.
Senator Robichaud: We will try.
[English]
The Chair: The motions proposed today are routine motions in order to ensure that the necessary structures and the authorities are in place to allow the committee to conduct its business.
On this, I am ready to have a mover for the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, better known as the steering committee, for a third person. I open the floor for nominations.
[Translation]
Senator Rivard: Mr. Chair, it is my pleasure to nominate Senator Don Plett as a member of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure.
The Chair: It is moved by Senator Rivard that Senator Plett be the third member of the committee. Did you have a question?
[English]
Senator Ogilvie: I am wondering whether you want to make the motion that he be approved as opposed to approving the actual constitution of the committee and then indicating the name of the person that the parties have agreed to. I think that is appropriate so as to avoid difficulties down the road should Senator Plett decide to get struck by a truck or other inconvenience on his way from Manitoba.
Senator Plett: Or Senator Ogilvie run over me.
Senator Ogilvie: Yes, or something like that.
The Chair: That point is well taken. Honourable senators, do we accept?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
Senator Ogilvie: It needs to be pointed out that you understand the parties have agreed that Senator Plett has been named by the parties.
The Chair: Yes. The clerk will note that.
Senator Robichaud: By each party as such.
Senator Ogilvie: Whatever is the appropriate language, I am sure the clerk will use, but it is the understood procedure.
The Chair: Senator Robichaud? Senator Ogilvie?
Senator Ogilvie: I agree. It is after the usual consultation, is what the language says.
The Chair: Thank you, Senator Ogilvie.
Motion No. 4 on our —
[Translation]
Senator Robichaud: Mr. Chair, the motion has three other parts. Senator Plett is considered as the third member, but [English]
[English]
The Chair: I will read those sections.
[Translation]
Senator Robichaud: I thought that Senator Ogilvie wanted to give a clarification.
Senator Ogilvie: Yes, I wanted to say that the motion must be as it is written, the two paragraphs, but —
[English]
After that, after we pass the motion that that is how it occur, then it is appropriate, as I understand it, to inform the committee that after the appropriate consultation, as per the motion, Senator Plett has been chosen.
The Chair: I will ask the clerk, please, to bring clarification.
There was a motion to name the third person right now. We will name the third person right now.
Senator Robichaud: We have already done that. It is just the three other parts.
The Chair: There are the three other parts.
Senator Robichaud: Whatever is the simplest way.
Senator Ogilvie: Mr. Chair, I will not say anything more after the following. It is my understanding that the reason the procedure is laid out as I have indicated is for exactly the reason I indicated, that it minimizes the difficulty of getting a third person on the steering committee in the event that Senator Plett chooses not to serve or is not able to serve. By making the motion of the committee that he be the third person, you have proscribed that issue and eliminated that alternative. You would then have to come back and go through that procedure again, and the usual consideration could not simply take care of the issue in that absence. That is my understanding. That is as far as I will go. You can do anything you want.
The Chair: You are absolutely correct, Senator Ogilvie, and that is the procedure we will undertake. The clerk will change the wording accordingly.
Honourable senators, Item No. 4 is a motion to publish the committee's proceedings. It is moved by Senator Plett.
Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Item No. 5 is authorization to hold meetings and to receive evidence when quorum is not present. It is moved by Senator Rivard.
Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Carried.
Item No. 6 is the financial report. No. 6 on the agenda is for the adoption of the first report of the committee. You have received a copy. The report is prepared pursuant to rule 104. It is moved by Senator Robichaud.
Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Carried.
Research staff is item No. 7. It is moved by Senator Plett.
Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Honourable senators, at this point in time, I will ask the analysts to come to the table.
I will then ask the analysts to please identify themselves.
Aïcha Coulibaly, Analyst, Library of Parliament: Aïcha Coulibaly, from the Library of Parliament.
Mathieu Frigon, Analyst, Library of Parliament: Mathieu Frigon, from the Library of Parliament.
The Chair: We are proceeding then to Item No. 8, authority to commit funds and certify accounts. It is moved by Senator Fairbairn.
Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Carried.
[Translation]
Senator Robichaud: Motion No. 8 stipulates that the authority to commit funds be conferred individually on the chair, the deputy chair and the clerk of the committee. I want us to be on the same page. When one of those individuals approves spending, the other members of the subcommittee should be informed as soon as possible. Do you understand what I am getting at? I want everyone to be informed of what is going on and how we are using the funds.
The Chair: Could the clerk please comment?
Mr. Pittman: Of course. All that means is that I, as clerk, will be authorized to sign after we pass a budget in committee. The budget itself will be approved by the committee, and it will be my job, as clerk, to verify the spending.
Senator Robichaud: Yes. I do not want to take that responsibility away from you, but we approve the payment of accounts.
Mr. Pittman: Yes, but that is what I am getting at. It will be my job to then pay the accounts, based on the approved budget.
Senator Robichaud: Yes, but you will need to notify the chair or the deputy chair.
Mr. Pittman: Yes.
Senator Robichaud: I just want to make sure that everyone knows where the money is going. It is not complicated.
Mr. Pittman: No.
The Chair: Notify the chair or the deputy chair, as specified.
Senator Robichaud: Yes. You understand the point I am trying to emphasize.
The Chair: Yes.
[English]
Item No. 9 on the agenda is travel. This is a motion 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.
[Translation]
Senator Robichaud: We need to make sure that the applications are submitted before the money is spent, right?
Mr. Pittman: Yes. Otherwise, the senator may be refused.
[English]
The Chair: It is moved by Senator Plett.
Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Carried.
Item No. 10 is the designation of members travelling on committee business. It is related to the Senators Attendance Policy. It is to be moved by an honourable senator that the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be authorized to determine whether any member of the committee is on official business. It is moved by Senator Ogilvie.
Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
[Translation]
Senator Robichaud: Does the same condition apply here as well? We first need to determine whether official business is really involved.
[English]
The Chair: It will be taken under advisement by the clerk that this procedure will be followed.
When the clerk gives me some comments, I would like him to share them.
Mr. Pittman: Just a reiteration that, once more, if a senator chooses to say that they are going to travel on behalf of the committee without authorization of the committee, then they risk having their expenses refused by the committee when they come back.
The Chair: Honourable senators, Item No. 11 is travelling and living expenses of witnesses. Pursuant to the Senate guidelines for witness expenses, the committee may reimburse reasonable travelling and living expenses for one witness from any —
Senator Plett: Considering Senator Robichaud will have the same concern again, I will make a motion that, subject to Senator Robichaud's concerns, that that be approved.
The Chair: It is moved by Honourable Senator Plett. Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Motion carried.
The next motion is related to the committee's communications needs. Again, that the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be empowered to direct communications officers assigned to the committee:
[Translation]
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 its hearings.
[English]
It is moved by Senator Robichaud.
Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Carried.
Next is the time slot for regular meetings. The committee's regular meeting time is 5 p.m. on Tuesday, and Thursday morning at 8 a.m. For clarification, the committee's regular meeting times are Tuesday at the adjournment of the Senate, but not before 5 p.m., and Thursday morning from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Our assigned meeting room is 705, this room, and we may change the meeting room if the committee's meeting is televised.
Honourable senators, before we close the meeting, could the chair have the indulgence of committee members to go in camera? I would like to address two issues for the days of sitting this week, in reference to the tabling of our report that was supposed to be tabled before we went to an election on March 25. The clerk will then advise us what will be the next step, and hopefully this will be very short. Do we have consensus?
Senator Plett: Yes, we have a consensus. I would like to make a motion that staff be allowed to stay for the in camera meeting.
The Chair: There is a motion by Senator Plett that staff stay for the in camera session.
Senator Robichaud: Who checks if everyone is a staff member or from a senator's office?
The Chair: I see the clerk does. The clerk informs me that he has verified that they are all staff.
We will then go in camera, honourable senators.
(The committee continued in camera.)