Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
National Security and Defence
Issue No. 17 - Evidence - Meeting of November 22, 2017
OTTAWA, Wednesday, November 22, 2017
The Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence met this day at 12 p.m., pursuant to rule 12-13 of the Rules of the Senate, to organize the activities of the committee.
[English]
Adam Thompson, Clerk of the Committee: Honourable senators, I see a quorum.
Pursuant to the order of the Senate of November 7, 2017, there is a vacancy in the chair. As clerk of your committee, it is therefore my duty to preside over the election of the chair.
I’m ready to receive a motion to that effect.
[Translation]
Senator Dagenais: I nominate the Honourable Senator Boniface as chair of the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence.
Mr. Thompson: Thank you, senator. Are there any more nominations?
[English]
I’ll ask one last time: Are there other nominations? Seeing none, I will put the question.
It is moved by the Honourable Senator Dagenais that the Honourable Senator Boniface do take the chair of this committee.
Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
Mr. Thompson: I declare the motion adopted and I invite Senator Boniface to take the chair.
Senator Gwen Boniface (Chair) in the chair.
The Chair: Thank you, colleagues.
Honourable senators, does the committee wish to elect two deputy chairs pursuant to the motion adopted by the Senate on November 7, 2017?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: If agreed, I will proceed with one election at a time.
I’m ready to receive a first motion.
[Translation]
Senator McIntyre: Madam Chair, I nominate the Honourable Senator Dagenais as deputy chair of the committee.
[English]
The Chair: Thank you.
Are there any other nominations for the first deputy chair?
Seeing no other nominations, it is moved by the Honourable Senator McIntyre that the Honourable Senator Dagenais be one deputy chair of this committee.
Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: I declare the motion carried.
Honourable senators, I’m now ready to receive the next motion. Are there any nominations?
Senator Griffin: I nominate Senator Kenny.
The Chair: Are there any other nominations?
It is moved by the Honourable Senator Griffin that the Honourable Senator Kenny be a deputy chair of this committee.
Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: I declare the motion carried.
I believe you all have copies of the next motion. We need to set the steering committee, which normally would be made up of the two deputy chairs and the chair.
I’d ask for a motion that the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of the chair and two deputy chairs 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 meetings.
Do I have a mover?
[Translation]
Senator Boisvenu: I move that this motion be adopted.
[English]
The Chair: Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: With no other business, the formalities would be finished and I would seek a motion to adjourn.
Senator McIntyre: Before we adjourn, I have a slight problem with regard to the time frame.
I sit on three committees: Legal, this committee and Official Languages. The Official Languages Committee also sits on Monday and my understanding is that the proceedings start at five o’clock in the evening whereas we complete here at 5:30.
Will the committee still be sitting on Monday from 1:00 to 5:30? Will there be any change there?
The Chair: I have had no indication of change. I understand that’s when it will sit.
I will defer to my deputy chair, but I think we traditionally finish at 5 p.m.
Senator McIntyre: Do we finish at 5:00 or 5:30?
[Translation]
Senator Dagenais: If memory serves me well, we do sometimes finish at 5:30 p.m., although the committee usually finishes at 5 p.m. If a senator has to leave before the end of the meeting, I do not think that is a problem. This has happened in other committees. Does the Official Languages Committee meet in the same building?
Senator McIntyre: No, it meets in the East Block.
Senator Dagenais: With the permission of the chair, I expect you could leave early.
[English]
The Chair: I would be most willing to accommodate you.
[Translation]
Senator McIntyre: I will run from the Victoria Building to the East Block.
The Chair: Of course.
[English]
The Chair: Is there any other business?
May I have a motion to adjourn, then?
Senator McIntyre: I move the adjournment.
The Chair: Is that agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
(The committee adjourned.)