Proceedings of the Special Senate Committee on
Anti-terrorism
Issue 1 - Minutes of Proceedings - March 14, 2012
OTTAWA, Wednesday, March 14, 2012
(1)
[English]
The Special Committee on Certain Government Bills met this day, at 12:12 p.m., in room 705, Victoria Building, for the purpose of organization, pursuant to rule 88.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Andreychuk, Dagenais, Dallaire, Day, Joyal, P.C., Segal, Smith, P.C. (Cobourg), and Tkachuk (8).
Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.
The clerk of the committee presided over the election of the chair.
The Honourable Senator Joyal, P.C., moved:
That the Honourable Senator Segal do take the chair of this committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Segal assumed the chair.
The Honourable Senator Andreychuk moved:
That the Honourable Senator Joyal, P.C., be deputy chair of this committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Tkachuk 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 Dagenais moved:
That the committee publish its proceedings.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Tkachuk moved:
That, pursuant to rule 89, 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.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Andreychuk moved:
That the committee ask the Library of Parliament to assign analysts to the committee;
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 Joyal, P.C., 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 Tkachuk 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 Andreychuk 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 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
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 Dallaire moved:
That, pursuant to the Senate guidelines for witnesses 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.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Andreychuk moved:
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be empowered to direct communications officer(s) assigned to the committee in the development of communications plans where appropriate and to request the services of the Senate Communications Directorate for the purposes of their development and implementation; and
That the subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be empowered to allow electronic media coverage at its discretion.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Smith, P.C., (Cobourg) moved:
That the chair and deputy chair consult with the two whips about the appropriate timeslot for regular committee meetings, and keep colleagues aware prior to a timeslot being confirmed.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Day moved:
That the chair and deputy chair consult with the Leadership of the Government and the Opposition with respect to a change in the name of the committee to: Special Senate Committee on Anti-terrorism;
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Day moved:
That the chair be authorized to seek authority of the Senate for the following:
That the papers and evidence received and taken and work accomplished by the Special Senate Committee on Anti-Terrorism since the beginning of the Thirty-eighth Parliament be referred to the committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
At 12:35 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Jodi Turner
Clerk of the Committee