Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Transport and Communications
Issue No. 25 - Evidence - November 22, 2017
OTTAWA, Wednesday, November 22, 2017
The Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications met this day at 6:45 p.m., for the purpose of holding its reorganization meeting, pursuant to rule 12-13 of the Rules of the Senate.
Victor Senna, Clerk of the Committee: Honourable senators, we have a quorum. Pursuant to the order of the Senate adopted on November 7, 2017, there is a vacancy in the chair. As clerk of the committee, it is my duty to preside over the election of the chair.
[English]
I am ready to receive a motion to that effect.
Senator MacDonald: Colleagues, I move that Senator Tkachuk take his place as chair of the committee.
Mr. Senna: Are there other nominations?
It was moved by Senator MacDonald that Senator Tkachuk take his place as chair of this committee.
Is it agreed, honourable senators?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
Mr. Senna: I declare the motion carried, and I invite the Honourable Senator Tkachuk to take the chair.
Senator David Tkachuk (Chair) in the chair.
The Chair: Thank you for that unanimous support.
Old is new again. Senator Dawson, I know exactly how you feel because I just got dumped from the Banking Committee earlier this afternoon. Senator Dawson and I were on Transport together in 2006 and 2007. Can you believe that was 10 years ago now? We did a study on ports. We did a study on the news media, and I think you were on that committee too, Senator Mercer.
Senator Mercer: Yes, I was.
The Chair: I was also with Senator Mercer on Agriculture. We have some acquaintances. This is the first time that Mike and I are on the same committee.
Senator MacDonald: That is right. I filled in a few times on your committee.
The Chair: Thank you.
I have an item on the agenda that I have to deal with. We will proceed to the item dealing with the election of the two deputy chairs of the committee.
I am open for nominations.
Senator Dawson: If she accepts, I would invite Senator Bovey to be one of the deputy chairs.
Senator MacDonald: Are you accepting?
Senator Bovey: I am.
The Chair: I think we have two.
Senator Dawson: I think we do them one at a time.
The Chair: I can do them one at a time or I can have unanimity for the two. It is whatever you wish.
Senator Bovey: I nominate the Honourable Senator Dawson as the other deputy chair.
The Chair: If there are no further nominations, I move the nominations closed.
We have our two deputy chairs of the steering committees. Congratulations.
Next is the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure.
Senator Dawson: I move that we create a Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure formed by the chair and two deputy chairs.
The Chair: All in favour?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Good. We are making decisions on behalf of the committee but I think we know all that.
I will move, then, to Item No. 4 on the agenda, “Other Business.”
Senator MacDonald, could you move the motion about staff, please?
Senator MacDonald: Colleagues, I move 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.
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: We will take a minute to go in camera and talk about future business.
(The committee continued in camera.)