Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Social Affairs, Science and Technology
Issue 1 - Evidence - February 11, 2009
OTTAWA, Wednesday, February 11, 2009
The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology met this day at 4:27 p.m., pursuant to rule 88 of the Rules of the Senate, to hold an organizational meeting.
[English]
Keli Hogan, Clerk of the Committee: Honourable senators, as clerk of the committee, it is my duty to preside over the election of the chair. I am ready to receive a motion to that effect.
Senator Keon: I move that Senator Eggleton be appointed as chair.
Ms. Hogan: Are there any other nominations?
It is moved by the Honourable Senator Keon that the Honourable Senator Art Eggleton do take the chair of this committee.
It is your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt this motion.
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
Ms. Hogan: I declare the motion carried. I invite the Honourable Senator Eggleton to take the chair.
Senator Art Eggleton (Chairman) in the chair.
The Chair: Welcome, honourable senators. I am very pleased that we are back in business. I am pleased that we will continue the great work we did in the past. I am looking forward to working with all of you.
I welcome particularly the new members, Senator Eaton and Senator Dyck, here for the first time. Senator Martin will be a member of our committee, and Senator Cook and Senator Segal will continue as members.
Thank you very much for your support for the committee chair.
Now I turn to the election of deputy chair.
Senator Pépin: I nominate Senator Keon.
The Chair: It is moved by the Honourable Senator Pépin, that the honourable Senator Keon be deputy chair of this committee.
Are there any other nominations? There being no other nominations, I declare Senator Keon to be deputy chair. Welcome back, Senator Keon.
The next item concerns the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, the steering committee.
Senator Callbeck: I move Senator Pépin.
Senator Eggleton: Are there any other nominations?
It is moved by the Honourable Senator Callbeck that Senator Pépin be the third person on the steering committee, or, as it says here, the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure.
The fourth item is the motion to print the committee's proceedings.
Senator Cordy moves that motion. Is it agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: The next motion concerns authorization to hold meetings and to print evidence when quorum is not present. This is pursuant to rule 89 of the Rules of the Senate. It is moved by Senator Callbeck.
Is that agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Honourable senators should have a document in front of you. This is the amount of money we spent in the Second Session of the Thirty-ninth Parliament. I can tell you that compared to other committees; this is a bargain. We do not spend nearly as much as some committees.
It is moved by the Honourable Senator Keon, that the committee adopt the draft first report prepared in accordance with rule 104 of the Rules of the Senate.
Is there any further discussion? Is it agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: The seventh item concerns research staff. It is moved by the Honourable Senator Callbeck, that the committee ask the Library of Parliament to assign analysts and other personnel as may be necessary to the committee.
Is it agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Havi Echenberg is now our official researcher. Welcome, Ms. Echenberg. I also welcome Keli Hogan as our new clerk. Barbara Reynolds has decided to retire. Welcome, Ms. Hogan.
The Honourable Senator Keon moves that the authority of commit funds and certify accounts be conferred individually on the chair, the deputy chair, and the clerk of the committee. The motion also includes the authority for certifying accounts payable, and the authority to commit funds and certify accounts.
The Chair: Is there any discussion? Is it agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: The next item concerns travel. It is moved by the Honourable Senator Pépin that the committee empower the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedures 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.
Is it agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: The next item concerns the designation of members travelling on committee business. The Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure has this responsibility.
Senator Callbeck: I so move the subcommittee be authorized to deal with the designation of members travelling on committee business.
The Chair: Is there any discussion? That motion is carried.
The next item concerns travelling and living expenses of witnesses. It is moved by Senator Cordy. Is there any discussion? This is pursuant to Senate guidelines, as the agenda reads. Is it agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Item 12 concerns electronic media coverage of public meetings. This is what we usually do downstairs. It is moved by Senator Dyck. Is there any discussion?
We try to have as many meetings televised as possible. By and large, we are able to have them televised. There are people who wake up at 1a.m., and believe it or not, they watch reruns of our meetings.
Is it agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: The thirteenth item concerns the time slot for regular meetings. This item does not require a motion; this is just information. We meet Wednesdays, in this time slot. The Senate sat a little beyond 4 p.m. today, but it normally adjourns right at 4 p.m. This committee meets from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, and at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday. What we have done in past, and we can continue to do, is set the meeting time for 10:45 a.m., because many of the morning committees end at 10:30 a.m., and people are unable to get from one committee to another, particularly if the meetings are held in different properties. Should we continue to meet at 10:45 a.m., then? We will adjourn at 12:30 p.m., and we will have some lunch available at that time.
Our last item concerns other business. This is in the public part of the meeting. I want to move to an in camera meeting to discuss our tentative work plan, but is there anything in terms of public business under item 14? No.
Is it agreed that we now go in camera?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
(The committee continued in camera.)