THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON RULES, PROCEDURES AND THE RIGHTS OF PARLIAMENT

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Tuesday, March 28, 2023
(20)

[English]

The Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament met this day at 9:30 a.m., in room B30, Senate of Canada Building, the chair, the Honourable Diane Bellemare, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Ataullahjan, Batters, Bellemare, Black, Boniface, Cordy, Deacon (Ontario), MacDonald, Marwah, Omidvar, Saint-Germain, Wells and Woo (13).

Other senators present: The Honourable Senators Boisvenu, Cormier, Cotter, Jaffer and Poirier (5).

Participating in the meeting: Erin Virgint, Analyst, Library of Parliament.

Pursuant to rule 12-7(2)(a), the committee continued its consideration of possible amendments to the Rules. (Topic: Committee structure and mandates)

WITNESSES:

The Honourable Senator Brent Cotter, Chair, Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs;

The Honourable Senator Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu, Deputy Chair, Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs;

The Honourable Senator Mobina S. B. Jaffer, Former Chair, Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs;

The Honourable Serge Joyal, P.C., Former Senator, Former Chair, Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs;

The Honourable Senator René Cormier, Chair, Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages;

The Honourable Senator Rose-May Poirier, Deputy Chair, Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages.

The Honourable Senators Boisvenu, Cotter and Jaffer and the Honourable Serge Joyal, P.C. each made a statement and answered questions.

At 10:44 a.m., the committee suspended.

At 10:47 a.m., the committee resumed.

The Honourable Senators Cormier and Poirier each made a statement and answered questions.

At 11:30 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Adam Thompson

Clerk of the Committee