Proceedings of the Subcommittee on Cities
Issue 1 - Evidence, November 15, 2007
OTTAWA, Thursday, November 15, 2007
The Subcommittee on Cities of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology met this day at 12 p.m. to organize the activities of the subcommittee.
[English]
Barbara Reynolds, Clerk of the Committee: Honourable senators, there is a quorum. As clerk of your committee, it is my duty to preside over the election of the chair.
[Translation]
I am ready to receive a motion to that effect.
[English]
Are there any nominations?
Senator Keon: I nominate Senator Eggleton.
Ms. Reynolds: It is moved by the Honourable Senator Keon that the Honourable Senator Eggleton do take chair of this subcommittee. Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
Ms. Reynolds: I declare the motion carried.
[Translation]
I invite Honourable Senator Eggleton to take the chair.
[English]
Senator Art Eggleton (Chair) in the Chair.
The Chair: Thank you very much, Senator Keon, for the nomination and for the support. We are back in business on this subcommittee.
The second item is the election of the deputy chair. The deputy chair has been Senator Champagne in the past, and I think she is willing to continue to serve but she cannot be here until the New Year. She is still recovering from her health challenges.
Senator Cordy: I nominate Senator Champagne for deputy chair.
The Chair: All in favour?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Carried.
The third item concerns decisions regarding agenda, witnesses and hearings. These are standard motions from here on in.
Senator Trenholme Counsell: I so move.
The Chair: All in favour?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Carried.
The fourth item is with respect to a motion to print the subcommittee proceedings.
Senator Cordy: I so move.
The Chair: All in favour?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Carried.
The fifth item refers to the authorization to hold meetings and to print evidence when quorum is not present.
Senator Trenholme Counsell: I so move.
The Chair: All in favour?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Carried.
The sixth item concerns research staff.
Senator Cordy: I so move.
The Chair: All in favour?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Carried.
Our research staff will join us now. They are Mr. Brian O'Neal and Ms. Havi Echenberg.
The seventh item is with respect to authority to commit funds and certify accounts.
Senator Trenholme Counsell: I so move.
The Chair: All in favour?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Carried.
The next item deals with travel.
Senator Cordy: I so move.
The Chair: All in favour?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Carried.
The ninth item deals with designation of members travelling on subcommittee business.
Senator Trenholme Counsell: I so move.
The Chair: All in favour?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Carried.
Item number 10 is with respect to travelling and living expenses of witnesses.
Senator Cordy: I so move.
The Chair: All in favour?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Carried.
The eleventh item deals with electronic media coverage of public meetings.
Senator Trenholme Counsell: I so move.
The Chair: All in favour?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Carried.
Our time slot for regular meetings will be Thursdays, 10:45 a.m. to 1p.m., although there is an exception next week. Because the Population Health Subcommittee has a special arrangement for a video conference with people from Sweden, they have to have it in the morning because of time zone differences. They will have Thursday morning next week and we will have Wednesday.
On most occasions, we will be both time slots because we have been doing much of the schedule on the poverty, housing and homelessness segment of the Cities Committee agenda, as they are germane to both committees.
Senator Trenholme Counsell: We meet on November 21 and not November 22?
The Chair: Yes. There is one more motion. This one is about attendance of senators' staff at in camera meetings.
Senator Cordy: I so move.
The Chair: All in favour?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Carried.
Other business will be dealt with in camera.
The committee continued in camera.