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OTTAWA, Friday, December 11, 2015

The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology met this day at 8:34 a.m., pursuant to rule 12-13 of the Rules of the Senate, to organize the activities of the committee.

[English]

Keli Hogan, 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.

Senator Eggleton: I nominate Kelvin Ogilvie for chair.

Ms. Hogan: Are there any other nominations?

It was moved by the Honourable Senator Eggleton that the Honourable Senator Ogilvie do take the chair of this committee. Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt this motion?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

Ms. Hogan: Adopted.

Senator Kelvin Kenneth Ogilvie (Chair) in the chair.

The Chair: Thank you, colleagues.

I had asked if it would be possible to have the clerk hold the chair for the nomination of the deputy chair, as I wanted to make a nomination for that, Senator Eggleton, but the rules do not allow that to occur. So I think the next item on the agenda is to officially elect the deputy chair.

Senator Stewart Olsen: I'll do it.

The Chair: A host of hands went up, but I'll recognize Carolyn.

Senator Stewart Olsen: I nominate Senator Eggleton as deputy chair.

The Chair: Senator Eggleton has been nominated as deputy chair. Are there any other nominations?

I declare Senator Eggleton elected as deputy chair of the committee.

I'll now proceed to Motion 3, and I will need a mover for this. The motion reads:

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 meetings.

Do I have a mover for that?

Senator Munson: I so move.

The Chair: It is duly moved. Are you ready for the question?

All in favour?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Chair: Contrary?

Carried.

I will need a mover for Motion 4, which states:

That the committee publish its proceedings.

Senator Stewart Olsen: I so move.

The Chair: Those in favour?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Chair: Contrary?

Carried.

Motion 5 is the authorization to hold meetings and to receive evidence when a quorum is not present. It reads:

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 a member of the committee from both the opposition and the Senate Liberals be present.

Do I have a mover for that?

Senator Merchant: Is this common practice? Do you know if that happens at committees?

The Chair: This is standard boilerplate.

Senator Merchant: Okay, I so move.

The Chair: Those in favour?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Chair: Contrary?

Carried.

I will need a mover for Motion 6, which reads:

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.

Mover please?

Senator Seidman: I so move.

The Chair: All in favour?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Chair: Contrary?

Carried.

Motion 7 relates to the authority to commit funds and certify accounts and reads:

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 the 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.

Senator Martin: I so moved.

The Chair: Those in favour?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Chair: Contrary?

Carried.

Motion No. 8, travel:

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.

Senator Eggleton: So moved.

The Chair: Those this favour?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Chair: Contrary?

Carried.

Motion No. 9 concerns the designation of members travelling on committee business. I need a mover for the following:

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 the Senate on Wednesday June 3, 1998; and

2) consider any member of the committee to 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 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.

Senator Stewart Olsen: I so move.

The Chair: Those in favour?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Chair: Contrary?

Carried.

Motion 10 states:

That pursuant to the Senate guidelines for witness expenses, the committee may reimburse reasonable travelling and living expenses from 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.

Senator Merchant: I so move.

The Chair: Those in favour?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Chair: Contrary?

Carried.

Motion 11, broadcasting:

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 at its discretion.

Senator Munson: I so move.

The Chair: Those in favour?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Chair: Contrary?

Carried.

Item No. 12 on our agenda doesn't require a formal motion, but it needs to be recorded: That the time slot for regular meetings is Wednesday from 4:15 to 6:15 p.m., and Thursdays from 10:30a.m. to 12:30p.m. That is duly noted for the record.

Under ``Other business,'' I wonder if you might permit me to deal with the report, because we need to get that in this morning to get things underway.

Just to remind everyone, we have a report that is in its final draft and had gone to committee. It would have been dealt with one week after the writ was dropped and tabled in the Senate at that time. We need to get that report before the committee as soon as possible to minimize delays. There is enormous interest in this report coming out.

In order for us to have it considered by the committee, we have to get the Senate to approve our order of reference and extend the date for us to use it. We are no longer authorized to deal with that report, so we'd have to get it back on. We'd like to get that motion in this morning, if we can.

The order of reference is:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology be authorized to examine and report on the increasing incidence of obesity in Canada: causes, consequences and the way forward, including but not limited to:

(a) food consumption trends;

(b) specific elements of diet;

(c) the processed food industry;

(d) lifestyle;

(e) provincial and federal initiatives; and,

(f) international best practices.

That the papers and evidence received and taken and work accomplished by the committee on this subject during the First Session of the Forty-Second Parliament be referred to the committee; and

That the committee submit its final report no later than March31, 2016 and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings until 180 days after the tabling of the final report.

Senator Eggleton: I so move.

The Chair: All in favour?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Chair: Contrary?

Carried.

Senator Eggleton: That was one of the two issues I was going to raise. I was thinking that the copy of the report should get to all the members, but as I look around, I think probably everyone here has one; I don't know if there is anyone that doesn't. I wanted to say that the sooner they get the obesity report, the sooner we can get it on the agenda and deal with it. So if anybody doesn't have it, we should give it to them.

The Chair: Just to make certain, we should send it again to all members of the committee so that everyone has it. It will go out with instructions from the clerk. That will tie it together, and they will know it is official. We do this because we do have new members on the committee.

Senator Eggleton: You'll try to get this voted on today?

The Chair: Yes, the clerk will try to get it in so we can get it on at the start of business. If not, I will ask for permission to revert to get this motion dealt with today. That will allow the clerk to go ahead and do as you're suggesting.

Senator Eggleton: I'm happy to second the motion in the chamber.

The Chair: Thank you very much.

There is one other matter. We need to have the following agreed to by the committee: Is it agreed that each committee member be allowed to have one staff person present at in camera sessions, unless there is a decision for a particular meeting to exclude all staff?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Chair: Thank you very much. I'm sorry to have interrupted.

Senator Eggleton: That was one of the two items I was going to raise— the question of getting on with the obesity report, because it has been sitting around for a few months and we have to get that one done. A lot of good work went into it. It's an excellent report. The steering committee worked on it during the summer, and I think we've got it in pretty good shape.

The only other thing I wanted to say under ``Other business'' is welcome back to Keli Hogan. When I was in the chair, she was also with the committee, but she stayed young. I just want to welcome her back.

And of course Sonya, who has been a strength to us for so long with these reports. That's a good combination.

That's all I wanted to say.

The Chair: I was going to say similar things, and I am delighted to second Senator Eggleton's observations.

Keli, it's good to have you back.

I won't go into detail, but in the first year I was on the committee, she was here and she will be leaving at some time down the road for exactly the same reason that occurred at that time.

And Sonya has been the absolute rock of this committee in terms of analyses and support, and it's an absolute delight to have her back.

Senator Martin: Mr.Chair and members of the committee, I'm glad to see that as much as things change, some things do stay same. I'm happy to be back after an absence, and I think the study looks wonderful.

The Chair: Colleagues, I am delighted to see so many members of our committee from the last study. It's also good to have Senator Martin with us. She was with us from very early on in our time here, and it's great to have her back.

I think all of you know how I tend to run the meetings, and that is not to have other senators come in on a senator's question time; that is, I don't like ancillary questions from a third party. I always put you on the agenda. If your question is important, you can bring it up on a subsequent round.

Also, I want to remind us to keep our preambles as short as possible on questions. Our committee tends to deal with very serious matters, as you know. It's easy to wax poetic for background on key things, but we always want to try to get all the questions in. It's important that every senator gets a chance to ask their questions. We make it possible to do that if we can keep our preambles down to our questions and deal with the substance of the questions we have on the table.

We all work together, and I'm sure it's going to be a great year ahead. Thank you very much.

Senator Eggleton: Thank you for assuming the chair again.

The Chair: Thank you for your support.

Senator Merchant: I want to say, chair, that I think you're very courteous because you don't monopolize the preamble or the conversation. Sometimes chairs tend to ask all the questions, and you're very courteous. You usually let everyone else ask the questions, and then, at the end, if there is something you still want to know about, you ask your question. I appreciate that very much.

The Chair: Thank you. I believe the committee is critical to the success of the hearings, and that's the way I will proceed.

(The committee adjourned.)