Proceedings of the Special Senate Committee
on Senate Modernization
Issue No. 1 - Minutes of Proceedings - February 24, 2016
OTTAWA, Wednesday, February 24, 2016
(1)
[English]
The Special Senate Committee on Senate Modernization met this day at 12 p.m., in room 356-S, Centre Block, for the purpose of organization, pursuant to rule 12-13.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Bellemare, Cools, Eggleton, P.C., Greene, Joyal, P.C., Massicotte, McCoy, McInnis, McIntyre, Stewart Olsen, Tannas, Tardif and Wells (13).
In attendance: Sebastian Spano and Jean-Rodrigue Paré, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament.
Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.
The Honourable Senator Joyal, P.C., moved:
That the Honourable Senator McInnis do take the chair.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Eggleton, P.C., 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 Greene 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 Honourable Senator McCoy moved:
That the motion be amended by replacing the words "designated after the usual consultation'' by "a non- partisan, independent senator''.
After debate, the question being put on the motion in amendment, it was adopted on the following vote:
YEAS
The Honourable Senators
Bellemare, Cools, Eggleton, P.C., Massicotte, McIntyre, McCoy, Stewart Olsen, Tardif — 8
NAYS
The Honourable Senators
Greene, Joyal, P.C., McInnis, Tannas, Wells — 5
The question being put on the motion as amended, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Eggleton, P.C., moved:
That the Honourable Senator McCoy be the third member of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure.
After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Greene moved:
That the committee publish its proceedings.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Tardif 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 committee representing the opposition and one member representing the Senate Liberals be present.
The Honourable Senator McCoy moved:
That the motion be amended by adding the words "and an independent when possible'' after the words "Senate Liberal''.
After debate, the question being put on the motion in amendment, it was adopted.
The question being put on the motion as amended, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Massicotte 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.
After debate, 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 Greene 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 Eggleton, P.C., 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.
After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Tardif 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.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Bellemare moved:
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 hearings.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Stewart Olsen moved:
That each committee member be allowed to have one staff member present at in camera meetings, unless there is a decision for a particular meeting to exclude all staff.
After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
At 12:46 p.m., pursuant to rule 12-16(1)(d), the committee proceeded in camera to consider a draft agenda.
The committee considered a draft agenda.
It was agreed:
That representatives from the University of Ottawa Symposium on Senate Reform be invited to appear to discuss the components of the symposium; and
That Senators Greene and Massicotte appear as witnesses on their findings from the working sessions on Senate reforms.
At 1:20 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST: