Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Transport and Communications

Issue No. 1 - Minutes of Proceedings - December 11, 2015

OTTAWA, Friday, December 11, 2015
(1)

[Translation]

The Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications met this day at 2:10 p.m., in room 172-E, Centre Block, for the purpose of organization, pursuant to rule 12-13.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Dawson, Greene, Mercer and Plett (4).

Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.

The clerk of the committee presided over the election of the chair.

The Honourable Senator Plett moved:

That the Honourable Senator Dawson do take the chair of this committee.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

At 2:11 p.m., the Honourable Senator Dawson took the chair.

The Honourable Senator Mercer moved:

That the Honourable Senator MacDonald be deputy chair of this committee.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The Honourable Senator Mercer moved:

That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of the chair, the deputy chair and the Honourable Senator Unger;

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.

It was agreed:

That the committee publish its proceedings.

It was agreed:

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 a member of the committee from both the government and the opposition be present.

It was agreed:

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;

That the chair, on behalf of the committee, direct the research staff in the preparation of studies, analyses, summaries and draft reports.

It was agreed:

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.

It was agreed:

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.

It was agreed:

That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be authorized to:

1) determine whether any member of committee is on "official business'' for the purpose 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

It was agreed:

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.

It was agreed:

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.

It was agreed:

That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be empowered, at its discretion, to allow coverage by electronic media of the committee's public proceedings with the least possible disruption of its hearing.

At 2:13 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Daniel Charbonneau

Clerk of the Committee