Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
National Security and Defence
Issue 1 - Minutes of Proceedings - January 25, 2016
OTTAWA, Monday, January 25, 2016
(1)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence met this day at 5:05 p.m., in room 705, Victoria Building, for the purpose of holding its organization meeting, pursuant to rule 12-13.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Beyak, Carignan, P.C., Lang, Mitchell, Ngo and White (6).
In attendance: Katherine Simonds and Dominique Valiquet, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament.
Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.
Pursuant to rule 12-13, the clerk of the committee presided over the election of the chair.
The Honourable Senator Mitchell moved:
That the Honourable Senator Lang do take the chair of this committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The clerk invited Senator Lang to take the chair.
The chair presided over the election of the deputy chair.
The Honourable Senator White moved:
That the Honourable Senator Day be deputy chair of this committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator White 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 White moved:
That the committee publish its proceedings.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Ngo moved:
That, pursuant to rule 12-17, the chair be authorized to hold meetings, to receive and authorize the publication of the evidence when a quorum is not present, provided that one member of the committee representing the opposition and one member representing the Senate Liberals be present.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C., moved:
That the committee adopt the draft first report, prepared in accordance with rule 12-26(2).
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Beyak moved:
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 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.
The Honourable Senator White 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 Ngo 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 Mitchell 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 Beyak moved:
That, pursuant to the Senate guidelines for witness expenses, the committee may reimburse reasonable travelling and living expenses of one witness per organization upon application, but that the chair be authorized to approve expenses of a second witness from the same organization should there be exceptional circumstances.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Mitchell moved:
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 hearings.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The chair informed the committee that the regular time slots for its meetings are Monday afternoon from 13:00 to 17:30.
The chair asked whether it was agreed:
That the Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs be established to study matters which may be referred to it by the committee.
That the membership of the subcommittee be as follows: the Honourable Senators: Dagenais, Day, Lang, Mitchell and White, three of whom shall constitute a quorum.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The chair asked whether it was agreed:
That, pursuant to rule 12-9(2), the committee's authority to send for persons, papers and records, whenever required, and to publish from day to day such papers and evidence as may be ordered by it, be conferred on the subcommittee;
That, pursuant to rule 12-17, the committee's authority to hold meetings, to receive and authorize the publication of the evidence when a quorum is not present, be conferred on the subcommittee;
That, once ordered by the Senate, the committee's authority 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, be conferred on the subcommittee;
That, pursuant to section 7, Chapter 3:06 of the Senate Administrative Rules, the committee's authority to commit funds be conferred on the subcommittee;
That, pursuant to section 8, Chapter 3:06 of the Senate Administrative Rules, the committee's authority for certifying accounts payable be conferred on to the subcommittee;
That the committee's authority, pursuant to paragraph 8(3)(a) of the Senators Attendance Policy, be conferred on the subcommittee;
That, the committee's power to permit coverage by electronic media of its public meetings be conferred on the subcommittee; and
That, pursuant to the Senate guidelines for witness expenses, the authority of the committee to reimburse reasonable travelling and living expenses for witnesses, be conferred on the subcommittee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The chair asked whether it was agreed:
That the chair be authorized to seek authority from the Senate for the following order of reference:
That the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence be authorized to examine and report on Canada's national security and defence policies, practices, circumstances and capabilities;
That the papers and evidence received and taken and the work accomplished by the committee on this subject during the Fortieth Parliament and the Forty-first Parliament be referred to the committee; and
That the committee report to the Senate no later than December 31, 2017, and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings until 180 days after the tabling of the final report.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator White moved:
That the chair be authorized to seek authority from the Senate for the following order of reference:
That the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence be authorized to examine and report on the policies, practices, and collaborative efforts of the Canada Border Services Agency in determining admissibility to Canada and removal of inadmissible individuals;
That the papers and evidence received and taken and the work accomplished by the committee on this subject during the Second Session of the Forty-first Parliament be referred to the committee; and
That the committee report to the Senate no later than June 30, 2016, and that it retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings until 180 days after the tabling of the final report.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The chair asked whether it was agreed:
That the chair be authorized to seek authority from the Senate for the following order of reference:
That the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence be authorized to examine and report on:
(a) services and benefits provided to members of the Canadian Forces; to veterans who have served honourably in Her Majesty's Canadian Armed Forces in the past; to members and former members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and its antecedents; and all of their families;
(b) commemorative activities undertaken by the Department of Veterans Affairs Canada, to keep alive for all Canadians the memory of Canadian veterans' achievements and sacrifices; and
(c) continuing implementation of the New Veterans Charter;
That the papers and evidence received and taken and the work accomplished by the committee on this subject during the Fortieth Parliament and the Forty-first Parliament be referred to the committee; and
That the committee report to the Senate no later than December 31, 2017, and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings until 180 days after the tabling of its final report.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The chair asked whether it was agreed:
That the chair be authorized to seek authority from the Senate for the following order of reference:
That the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence be authorized to examine and report on:
(a) the medical, social, and operational impacts of mental health issues affecting serving and retired members of the Canadian Armed Forces, including operational stress injuries (OSIs) such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD);
(b) the services and benefits provided to members of the Canadian Armed Forces affected by OSIs, and to their families;
(c) new and emerging technologies, treatments and solutions to aid mental health conditions such as PTSD for members of the Canadian Armed Forces and veterans;
(d) how those emerging technologies, treatments and solutions can be integrated into the benefit and services already provided by medical professionals working for National Defence and Veterans Affairs Canada;
That the papers and evidence received and taken and the work accomplished by the committee on this subject during the Second Session of the Forty-first Parliament be referred to the committee; and
That the committee report to the Senate no later than December 31, 2017, and that it retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings until 180 days after the tabling of the final report.
After debate, the Honourable Senator Mitchell moved:
That in sections (a), (b) and (c) after "Canadian Armed Forces,'' the words "and members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police'' be added.
After debate, with leave, the motion was withdrawn.
The Honourable Senator White moved:
That section (a) be amended by striking the word "retired'' and replacing it by "veteran'' and by adding "and serving and veteran members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police'' after the word "Forces''.
After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator White moved:
That section (b) be amended by adding the words "serving and veteran'' before the word "members'' and that the words "and serving and veteran members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police'' be added after the word "Forces''.
The question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator White moved:
That section (c) be amended by striking the words "members of the Canadian Armed Forces and Veterans'' and replaced by "serving and veteran members of the Canadian Armed Forces and serving and veteran members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police''.
The question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.
The question being put on the motion as amended, it was adopted.
It was agreed that the two previously agreed to orders of reference be delegated to the Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs once adopted by the Senate.
The chair asked whether it was agreed:
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.
At 5:36 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Kevin Pittman
Acting Clerk of the committee