Proceedings of the Subcommittee on
Veterans Affairs
Issue No. 1 - Minutes of Proceedings - February 3, 2016
OTTAWA, Wednesday, February 3, 2016
(1)
[English]
The Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs of the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence met this day at 12:04 p.m., in room 172-E, Centre Block, for the purpose of holding its organization meeting, pursuant to rule 12-13.
Members of the subcommittee present: The Honourable Senators Beyak, Dagenais, Day, Mitchell and White (5).
Other senator present: The Honourable Senator Wallin (1).
In attendance: Isabelle Lafontaine-Emond, Analyst, Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament.
Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.
Pursuant to rule 12-13, the clerk of the subcommittee presided over the election of the chair.
The Honourable Senator Dagenais moved:
That the Honourable Senator Day do take the chair of this subcommittee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The clerk invited Senator Day to take the chair.
The chair presided over the election of the deputy chair.
The Honourable Senator White moved:
That the Honourable Senator Dagenais be deputy chair of this subcommittee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Mitchell moved:
That the chair and deputy chair be empowered to make decisions on behalf of the subcommittee 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 Mitchell moved:
That the subcommittee publish its proceedings.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator White 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 subcommittee 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 Dagenais moved:
That the subcommittee ask the Library of Parliament to assign analysts to the subcommittee;
That the chair and deputy chair be authorized to retain the services of such experts as may be required by the work of the subcommittee; and
That the chair, on behalf of the subcommittee, 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 subcommittee;
That, pursuant to section 8, chapter 3:06 of the Senate Administrative Rules, authority for certifying accounts payable by the subcommittee be conferred individually on the chair, the deputy chair, and the clerk of the subcommittee; 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 Mitchell moved:
That the chair and deputy chair be authorized to designate, as required, one or more members of the subcommittee and/or such staff as may be necessary to travel on assignment on behalf of the subcommittee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Mitchell moved:
That the chair and deputy chair be authorized to:
1) determine whether any member of the subcommittee 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 subcommittee to be on "official business'' if that member is: (a) attending an event or meeting related to the work of the subcommittee; or (b) making a presentation related to the work of the subcommittee; and
That the chair and deputy chair report at the earliest opportunity any decisions taken with respect to the designation of members of the subcommittee travelling on subcommittee business.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator White moved:
That, pursuant to the Senate guidelines for witness expenses, the subcommittee 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 chair and deputy chair be empowered to allow coverage by electronic media of the subcommittee'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 subcommittee that the regular time slots for its meetings are Wednesday afternoon from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The Honourable Senator Mitchell moved:
That the whips be asked to designate room 257-EB as the meeting location for the subcommittee for any Wednesday meetings.
After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The subcommittee discussed other business.
At 12:50 p.m., the subcommittee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Adam Thompson
Clerk of the Subcommittee