THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Ottawa, Tuesday, December 14, 2021
(1)

[English]

Pursuant to the order of the Senate of November 25, 2021, the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade met this day in room W110, 1 Wellington Street and with videoconference at 9:32 a.m. ET, for the purpose of its organization, pursuant to rule 12-13.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Boehm, MacDonald and Oh (3).

Members of the committee present by videoconference: The Honourable Senators Boniface, Coyle, Deacon (Ontario), Gerba, Harder, P.C., Ravalia, Richards and Woo (8).

Participating in the meeting: Evelyne Côté, Procedural Clerk, Committees Directorate; Brian Hermon and Nadia Faucher, analysts, Library of Parliament; Stav Nitka, Communications Officer, Communications Directorate.

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

The Honourable Senator Deacon (Ontario) moved that the Honourable Senator Boehm do take the chair of the committee.

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

The clerk invited the Honourable Senator Boehm to take the chair.

The chair presided over the election of the deputy chair.

The Honourable Senator Gerba moved that the Honourable Senator Harder, P.C., be deputy chair of the committee.

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

The Honourable Senator Coyle moved:

That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of the chair, the deputy chair and two other members of the committee, to be designated after the usual consultations; and,

That the subcommittee be empowered to make decisions on behalf of the committee with respect to its agenda, to invite witnesses, and to schedule hearings.

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

The Honourable Senator MacDonald moved that the committee publish its proceedings.

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

The Honourable Senator Oh moved that the committee adopt the draft first report, prepared in accordance with rule 12-26(2).

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

The Honourable Senator Oh 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.

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

The Honourable Senator Coyle moved:

That, pursuant to section 7, chapter 3:05 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 3:05 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 Boniface 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.

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

The Honourable Senator Deacon (Ontario) 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 an 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 members of the committee travelling on committee business.

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

The Honourable Senator Richards moved that, pursuant to the Senate guidelines for witness expenses, the committee may reimburse reasonable travelling and living expenses of one witness per organization upon application, but that the chair be authorized to approve expenses of a second witness from the same organization should there be exceptional circumstances.

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

The Honourable Senator Gerba moved:

That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be empowered to direct communications officers assigned to the committee in the development of communications plans and products where appropriate and to request the services of the Senate Communications Directorate for the purposes of the promotion of their work; and

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 proceedings, at its discretion.

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

The chair informed the committee that the weekly time slot assigned to the committee is Thursdays, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

At 9:50 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Gaëtane Lemay

Clerk of the Committee