Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Privileges, Standing Rules and Orders

Issue 10 - Minutes of Proceedings

OTTAWA, Tuesday, March 2, 199
(25)

[English]

The Standing Committee on Privileges, Standing Rules and Orders met at 4:50 p.m. this day, the Chair, the Honourable Senator Maheu, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Beaudoin, Cook, Cools, Grafstein, Joyal, P.C., Kenny, Maheu and Rossiter (8).

Other senators present: The Honourable Senators Atkins and Prud'homme, P.C. (2).

In attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.

The committee resumed its consideration of independent Senators as members of committees.

After debate,

The Honourable Senataor Kenny moved -- That the Selection Committee be authorized to nominate independent Senators to committees by increasing the normal size of committees to include:

1) no more than one independent Senator per committee; and

2) one additional majority party member.

After debate,

The question being put on motion,

It was agreed on division by the following show of hands: Yeas -- 4; Nays -- 1; Abstentions -- 0;

It was agreed on division that this decision be reported to the Senate.

The committee proceeded to the consideration of joint committees.

After debate,

It was agreed that the following report be made to the Senate:

The Standing Committee on Privileges, Standing Rules and Orders has the honour to present its

EIGHTH REPORT

Pursuant to its mandate under Rule 86(1)(f)(i), your committee has examined the issue of a common set of standing rules and orders for joint committees of the Senate and the House of Commons. This work was based on the recommendations that were made in the last Parliament by an informal working group, on which Senators Gauthier and Grimard represented your committee.

Your committee believes that there is much merit in having a common set of rules relating to joint committees. The Appendix contains the proposed Standing Rules and Orders for Joint Committees, as adopted by your committee.

While there continue to be some minor differences in the versions approved by your committee and the House of Commons Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, your committee believes that these could best be resolved by the leadership of the Senate and House of Commons.

Your committee, therefore, recommends:

(a) that the leadership of the Senate enter into discussions with the leadership of the House of Commons with a view to the adoption of a common set of standing rules and orders for joint committees of the two chambers along the lines of that contained in the Appendix; and

(b) that your committee approve any changes to the Appendix before they are presented to the Senate for final approval.

The Chair circulated to members copies of the draft Rules of the Senate, dated March 1999.

At 5:25 p.m., the committee proceeded in camera.

At 6:00 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

ATTEST:

Gary O'Brien

Clerk of the Committee