THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY
EVIDENCE
OTTAWA, Thursday, December 9, 2021
The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry met with videoconference this day at 9:01 a.m. [ET], pursuant to rule 12-13 of the Rules of the Senate, to organize the activities of the committee.
[English]
Ferda Simpson, Clerk of the Committee: Honourable senators, as clerk of your committee, it is my duty to preside over the election of the chair. I am ready to receive a motion to that effect. Are there any nominations?
Senator Griffin: I wish to nominate Senator Black for the position of chair.
Ms. Simpson: It is moved by the Honourable Senator Griffin:
That the Honourable Senator Black do to take the chair of this committee.
Is it agreed to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
Ms. Simpson: I now invite the Honourable Senator Black to take the chair.
Senator Robert Black (Chair) in the chair.
The Chair: Thank you for your support. I’m excited to take on this new role. As you well know, I’ve been involved in agriculture my whole life, and it is the focus of much of my work in the chamber. As you might expect, chairing this committee has been a goal of mine since I was appointed to the Senate of Canada almost four years ago.
For the new members on the committee, welcome. I hope you enjoy this opportunity to delve deeper into the agriculture and forestry issues that surround the committee work that we do. For those who are rejoining us, I’m looking forward to continuing our work in the same vein as my predecessor.
I want to say thank you, Senator Griffin. I have big shoes to fill, and I’ve learned much during the almost four years that I have been on this committee with you. I will go forward as you have done in the past, and I am looking forward to getting important work done through communications, inclusiveness, supportiveness and consensus-based decision-making processes, which has been your style and which I have enjoyed over the years. I hope we can envelop that as we do our work. I look forward to working together on topics of importance to Canadians in the agriculture and forestry industries in this next session.
I also look forward to working with our clerks Ferda Simpson and Mark Palmer, and our analysts Joanne Markle Lamontagne and Offah Obale. I want to thank in advance our console operators, our translators and our pages.
With those few comments, it is time to get started. The first order of business is the election of a deputy chair. We will now proceed with the election of the deputy chair. I’m ready to receive a motion to that effect.
Senator C. Deacon: I would nominate Senator Paula Simons as deputy chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry.
The Chair: Is it agreed to adopt this motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: I declare the motion carried.
Congratulations, Senator Simons. Do you wish to say a few words?
Senator Simons: I always wish to say a few words, but often I say more than a few words.
I want to thank the members of the committee. As you know, I am brand new to the committee. I was not anticipating my elevation to the position of deputy chair, but I am honoured. I come from Alberta, a province rich in both forestry and agriculture resources, and I’m proud to be representing Alberta at this committee. I look forward to working with all of you, and especially with you, Mr. Chair.
The Chair: Thank you. Congratulations.
Moving through some routine motions to consider, do I have a mover for motion 3, which I think you have in front of you, regarding the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure?
Senator Cotter: I so move.
The Chair: The Honourable Senator Cotter moved:
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of the chair, the deputy chair and two other members of the committee, to be designated after the usual consultations; 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.
Is it agreed that we adopt that motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: I declare that motion carried. Moving to motion 4. Do I have a mover?
Senator Marwah: I so move, chair.
The Chair: The Honourable Senator Marwah moved:
That the committee publish its proceedings.
Is it agreed that we adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: I declare the motion carried. Do I have a mover for motion 5 regarding research staff?
Senator Griffin: I so move.
Senator Simons: It is moved:
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; and
That the chair, on behalf of the committee, direct the research staff in the preparation of studies, analyses, summaries, and draft reports.
The Chair: Is that motion carried?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: I now invite our analysts to come to the table if they wish.
Do I have a mover for motion 6, authority to commit funds and certify accounts?
Senator Griffin: I will move that motion.
The Chair: The Honourable Senator Griffin moved:
That, pursuant to section 7, chapter 3:05 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 3:05 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.
Is it agreed to adopt this motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: I declare the motion carried.
Do I have a mover for motion 7? The Honourable Senator Oh 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.
Is it agreed to adopt this motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: I declare the motion carried. Do I have a mover for motion 8?
Senator Klyne: I so move.
The Chair: The Honourable Senator Klyne 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 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 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.
Is it agreed to adopt this motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Do we have a mover for motion 9?
Senator Wetston: I so move.
The Chair: The Honourable Senator Wetston moved:
That, pursuant to the Senate guidelines for witness expenses, the committee 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.
Is it agreed to adopt this motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: I declare the motion carried.
Do we have a mover for motion 10?
Senator Simons: I so move. I will not read the whole thing; I got mixed up last time.
The Chair: The Honourable Senator Simons 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 and products where appropriate and to request the services of the Senate Communications Directorate for the purposes of the promotion of their work; and
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be empowered to allow coverage by electronic media of the committee’s public proceedings with the least possible disruption of its proceedings, at its discretion.
Is it agreed that we adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: I declare the motion carried.
This brings us to the final item before adjournment, which is other business. We have a regular time slot, I believe, so this is for information. It is Thursdays from 9 to 11. We look forward to gathering in this room and by hybrid on Thursdays from 9 to 11 going forward when the Senate is sitting.
With that, I would like to propose that we move in camera. I propose that we move in camera for some further discussions. Are we agreed to move in camera?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
(The committee continued in camera.)