Proceedings of the Standing Committee on
Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament

Issue 1 - Minutes of Proceedings - November 26, 2013

OTTAWA, Tuesday, November 26, 2013
(1)

[English]

The Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament met this day, at 10:36 a.m., in room 356-S, Centre Block, for the purpose of organization, pursuant to rule 12-13.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Batters, Comeau, P.C., Cools, Enverga, Furey, Joyal, P.C., Martin, McCoy, McIntyre, Nolin, Smith, P.C. (Cobourg), Unger and White (13).

In attendance: Till Heyde, Chamber Operations Clerk, the Senate; Sebastian Spano and Andre Barnes, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament.

Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.

The clerk of the committee presided over the election of the chair.

The Honourable Senator Furey moved:

That the Honourable White do take the chair of this committee.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The Honourable Senator White took the chair of the committee.

The chair proceeded to the election of the deputy chair.

The Honourable Senator Comeau, P.C. moved:

That the Honourable Senator Smith, P.C. (Cobourg), be deputy chair of this committee.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The Honourable Senator Enverga moved:

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 schedule hearings.

After debate, the Honourable Senator McCoy moved:

That the motion be amended by changing the words ``to its agenda'' to ``to facilitate its agenda'';

After debate, the Honourable Senator Cools moved:

That the motion in amendment be amended by adding, at the end, the words ``subject to the approval of the committee''.

After debate, the question being put on the subamendment of the Honourable Senator Cools, it was negatived by a show of hands.

The question being put on the motion in amendment of the Honourable Senator McCoy, it was adopted by a show of hands.

The question being put on the motion, as amended, it was adopted.

The Honourable Senator Martin moved:

That the committee publish its proceedings.

After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The Honourable Senator Nolin moved:

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 government and the opposition be present.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The Honourable Senator Batters moved:

That the committee adopt a draft first report, prepared in accordance to rule 12-26(2).

After debate, it was agreed to defer consideration of the motion until later in the meeting.

The Honourable Senator Furey moved:

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-matter 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.

After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The Honourable Senator Unger moved:

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 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.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The Honourable Senator Nolin moved:

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.

After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The Honourable Senator Nolin moved:

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 of the Senate on Wednesday, June 3, 1998; and

2) consider any member of the committee to be on ``official business'' if that member is: (a) attending a function, event or meeting related to the work of the committee; or (b) making a presentation related to the work of the committee; and

That the subcommittee report at the earliest opportunity any decisions taken with respect to the designation of the members of the committee travelling on committee business.

After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The Honourable Senator Martin moved:

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

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The Honourable Senator Nolin moved:

That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be empowered to direct communications officer(s) assigned to the committee in the development of communications plans where appropriate and to request the services of the Senate Communications Directorate for the purposes of their development and implementation;

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.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The committee resumed consideration of the motion of the Honourable Senator Batters:

That the committee adopt a draft first report, prepared in accordance to rule 12-26(2).

After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

At 11:31 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Charles Robert

Clerk of the Committee