Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Legal and Constitutional Affairs

Issue 13 - Minutes of Proceedings

OTTAWA, Monday, October 23, 2006
(36)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs met this day at 10:07 a.m., in room 2, Victoria Building, the Chair, the Honourable Donald H. Oliver, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Andreychuk, Baker, P.C., Cowan, Day, Joyal, P.C., Milne, Nolin, Oliver, Ringuette, and Stratton (10).

Other senator present: The Honourable Senator Zimmer (1).

In attendance: Katharine Kirkwood, Director, Law and Government Division; Kristen Douglas, Analyst, Library of Parliament.

Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.

Pursuant to the Order of Reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, June 27, 2006, the committee continued its consideration of Bill C-2, providing for conflict of interest rules, restrictions on election financing and measures respecting administrative transparency, oversight and accountability. (For complete text of Order of Reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 3.)

APPEARING:

The Honourable John Baird, P.C., M.P., President of the Treasury Board.

WITNESSES:

As an individual:

David R. Zussman, Jarislowsky Chair in Public Sector Management, University of Ottawa;

Nancy Averill.

Canadian Bar Association:

Bernard Amyot, Vice-President;

Tamra Thomson, Director, Legislation and Law Reform;

Kerri A. Froc, Legal Policy Analyst.

As an individual:

The Honourable Eugene F. Whelan, P.C.

Treasury Board of Canada:

Joe Wild, Senior Counsel, Legal Services, Treasury Board Portfolio;

Catrina Tapley, Executive Director, External Relations, Strategic Communications and Ministerial Affairs;

Alister Smith, Assistant Secretary, Corporate Priorities and Planning.

The Chair made an opening statement.

Mr. Zussman and Ms Averill each made statements and answered questions.

At 11:45 a.m., the committee suspended.

At 12:40 p.m., the committee resumed.

The Chair made a statement.

Mr. Amyot made a statement and, with Ms. Thomson and Ms. Froc, answered questions.

At 1:55 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 2:07 p.m., the committee resumed.

The Chair made a statement.

Mr. Whelan made a statement and answered questions.

At 3:17 p.m., the committed suspended.

At 3:30 p.m., the committee resumed

The Chair made a statement.

Mr. Baird made a statement and, with Mr. Wild, Ms. Tapley and Mr. Smith, answered questions.

At 4:55 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

ATTEST:

Gérald Lafrenière

Clerk of the Committee