THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS
EVIDENCE
OTTAWA, Wednesday, December 15, 2021
The Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications met with videoconference this day at 6:32 p.m. [ET], pursuant to rule 12-13 of the Rules of the Senate, to organize the activities of the committee.
[English]
Vincent Labrosse, Clerk of the Committee: Honourable senators, as clerk of the 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?
[Translation]
Senator Dawson: Mr. Clerk, I’d like to nominate Senator Leo Housakos. I think that we’ve often recommended each other for this position over the past 10 years. It’s my turn to recommend him.
Mr. Labrosse: The Honourable Senator Dawson moved:
That the Honourable Senator Housakos do take the chair of this committee.
[English]
Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
Mr. Labrosse: I declare the motion carried and invite the Honourable Senator Housakos to take the chair.
Senator Leo Housakos (Chair) in the chair.
[Translation]
The Chair: Thank you for your support, fellow colleagues. It’s truly a great honour to have the opportunity to serve this committee, as well as all my fellow committee members.
[English]
I would like to thank my colleagues for your support. Thank God for Senate elections for committee chairs because I don’t think I would ever be able to win elections outside of the Senate, but that’s a whole other story.
We will now proceed to motion 2, election of the deputy chair. I am ready to receive nominations to that effect.
[Translation]
Are there any nominations? Senator Simons?
[English]
Senator Simons: I would be honoured to nominate Senator Julie Miville-Dechêne to the position of deputy chair.
[Translation]
The Chair: We have Senator Miville-Dechêne. Are there any other nominations?
If there aren’t any other nominations, congratulations, Senator Miville-Dechêne.
Senator Miville-Dechêne: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
The Chair: You have the floor, if you want to make any comments.
Senator Miville-Dechêne: I’m pleased to be back on this committee. I hope that we’ll have good, informative and not overly political discussions. That’s my hope.
The Chair: I’d like to add that this committee is the best in the history of the Senate. I’ve been a Senate member for a number of years. This committee was one of the first that I served on as a young senator back in 2009. We had a wonderful time and we did a great job together.
[English]
I had the privilege of serving on this committee with the very able chairmanship of Senator Dawson. If you see anything I picked up in terms of bad habits, we can attribute them to the experience I got from Senator Dawson.
We’ll move to motion 3, which is the motion to create the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, known as the steering committee. For this session, it was agreed that all four parties and groups would have a representative on the steering committee.
Do I have a mover for motion 3?
The Honourable Senator Dasko 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.
If anyone opposes the motion, please say “no.” Accordingly, I declare the motion carried. Thank you, colleagues.
It is my understanding that Senator Dawson has been selected for the Progressive Senate Group and Senator Quinn for the Canadian Senators Group.
Next is motion 4, which is a motion to publish the committee’s proceedings. Do I have a mover for motion 4?
The Honourable Senator Quinn moved:
That the committee publish its proceedings.
If anyone opposes the motion, please say “no.” Accordingly, I declare the motion carried.
[Translation]
Motion 5 concerns the financial report. As per rule 12-26(2), each committee must table a report on the expenses incurred during the previous session. A copy of the draft report, prepared by the clerk, was distributed by email.
Do I have a mover for this motion?
[English]
The Honourable Senator Coyle moved:
That the committee adopt the draft first report, prepared in accordance with rule 12-26(2).
If you oppose the motion, please say “no.” Accordingly, I declare the motion carried.
Motion 6, research staff. Do I have a mover for motion 6?
The Honourable Senator Dasko 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.
If anyone opposes the motion, please say “no.” Accordingly, I declare the motion carried.
We welcome the two analysts to the meeting. Could you please introduce yourselves to the committee. I give the floor to Mr. Chong.
Jed Chong, Analyst, Library of Parliament: My name is Jed Chong. I have worked at the Library of Parliament since 2012, and I have been an analyst on this committee since 2015.
[Translation]
Khamla Heminthavong, Analyst, Library of Parliament: Good evening, everyone. My name is Khamla. I’ve worked for the Library of Parliament since 2011.
The Chair: Welcome to the committee. We look forward to working with you.
[English]
Motion 7, authority to commit funds and certify accounts. Do I have a mover for the motion?
The Honourable Senator Quinn 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.
If you oppose the motion, please say “no.” I declare the motion carried.
[Translation]
Motion 8 concerns travel. Do I have a mover for motion 8?
The Honourable Senator Simons 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.
If you oppose the motion, please say “no.” I declare the motion carried.
[English]
Motion 9 deals with the designation of members travelling on committee business.
Do I have a mover for motion 9?
Senator Klyne: I’d better get my name on the paper.
The Chair: 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.
If anyone opposes the motion, please say “no.” Accordingly, the motion is passed.
[Translation]
Motion 10 concerns the travelling and living expenses of witnesses. Do I have a mover for motion 10?
The Honourable Senator Miville-Dechêne 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.
If you oppose the motion, please say “no.” I declare the motion carried.
[English]
Motion 11 deals with communications. Do I have a mover for motion 11?
Senator Sorensen: I want to get my first motion as a senator out today. I so move.
The Chair: Congratulations.
Senator Sorensen 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.
If you oppose the motion, please say “no.” I declare the motion carried.
I now invite the communications officer for the committee to turn his video on, Michael Forian. He is a very capable young man.
Michael Forian, Communications Officer, Communications Directorate, Senate of Canada: I am very happy to be here and to be serving the members of the Senate committee. If any members wish to communicate with me either in French or English, I’m delighted to be here. Good luck in your work ahead. I’m very happy to be serving here.
[Translation]
The Chair: Motion 12 concerns other business.
Colleagues, this brings us to the final item before adjournment, which is other business. Before we go any further, we must adopt a motion so that each committee member is allowed to have one staff person present at the in camera portion of our meetings.
Is it agreed, senators, that each committee member be allowed to have one staff person present at in camera meetings, unless otherwise agreed to by the committee? If you oppose the motion, please say “no.” I declare the motion carried.
We can proceed immediately to the in camera session.
(The committee continued in camera.)