THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
EVIDENCE
OTTAWA, Wednesday, June 25, 2025
The Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples met this day at 3:02 p.m. [ET], pursuant to rule 12-13 of the Rules of the Senate, to organize the activities of the committee.
[English]
Sébastien Payet, Clerk of the Committee: I am Sèbastien Payet, clerk of the committee. As the clerk of this committee, it is my duty to preside over the election of the chair. I am ready to receive a motion to that effect. Senator Francis?
Senator Francis: I nominate Senate Audette for chair.
Mr. Payet: Any other nominations?
An Hon. Senator: We support that.
Mr. Payet: It is moved by the Honourable Senator Francis that the Honourable Senator Audette do take the chair of this committee. Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
Mr. Payet: Agreed. Thank you very much.
Honourable senators, it is my duty to inform you of the unavoidable absence of the chair and to preside over the election of the acting chair. I am ready to receive a motion to that effect.
Senator White: So moved.
Mr. Payet: Senator White. Are there any other nomination for an acting chair?
Senator White: I nominate Senator Francis.
Mr. Payet: It is moved by the Honourable Senator White that the Honourable Senator Francis do take the chair of this committee. Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
Mr. Payet: Carried. I invite Senator Francis to take the chair.
(Senator Brian Francis (Acting Chair) in the chair)
The Acting Chair: Honourable colleagues, we will now proceed to the election of the deputy chair.
I am ready to receive a motion to that effect. Are there any nominations?
Senator Saint-Germain: I move that Honourable Senator Margo Greenwood be the deputy chair of the committee.
The Acting Chair: Honourable Senator Saint-Germain moved that the Honourable Senator Greenwood be deputy chair of the committee. Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Acting Chair: I declare the motion carried. Congratulations to Senator Greenwood.
Honourable colleagues, we now have some routine motions to adopt. Do I have a mover for the motion 3 on the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure known as the steering committee? Yes, Senator McPhedran?
Senator McPhedran: Thank you. In some committees — I’m not saying it would happen with this one, but it is a question I wanted to raise — the steering committee takes the position that they and only they can decide who is going to be a witness, and I’d like some assurance that there will be an openness for all members to suggest names and to be able to follow up on that and to know that there is a genuine consideration under way.
The Acting Chair: We’re going to get to that, Senator McPhedran. The Honourable Senator Pate 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, and that the committee be kept informed.
Senator McCallum: I wanted to speak to that. Every senator represents their province, and no one group can determine who the witnesses are. We all have a right to bring our witnesses, and sometimes there is a limitation to that. It really angers — not angers me — but it’s frustrating when other people make a decision and they don’t come to us. We should all be allowed the same privilege.
The Acting Chair: I hear you, Senator McCallum. In the past, we’ve asked for anyone in the committee to suggest witnesses. It hasn’t only been steering as long as I’ve been chair.
Okay. Is the motion carried, honourable senators?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Acting Chair: I declare the motion carried.
Do I have a mover for motion 4, to publish the committee’s proceedings?
Senator McPhedran: So moved.
The Acting Chair: The Honourable Senator McPhedran moved:
That the committee publish its proceedings.
Is the motion carried?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Acting Chair: Carried.
Do I have a mover for the motion 5, relating to research staff? Senator Boyer. The Honourable Senator Boyer moved:
That the committee ask the Library of Parliament to assign analysts to the committee;
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be authorized to retain the services of 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.
Is the motion carried?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Acting Chair: I would now like to invite the committee analysts to the table.
Please welcome Sara Fryer. Sara Fryer has worked as an analyst with the Library of Parliament since 2016 and was assigned to the Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples during the Forty-fourth Parliament. She previously worked in research, management and executive roles at different Indigenous organizations in the areas of mental health and economic development.
Antoine Csuzdi-Vallée holds a master’s degree in Indigenous history from the Université de Montréal and has professional experience at the Quebec Negotiations Directorate, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. Mr. Csuzdi-Vallée was also a committee analyst with the Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples during the Forty-fourth Parliament.
Do I have a mover for motion 6?
Senator Sorensen: I so move.
The Acting Chair: The Honourable Senator Sorensen moved:
That, pursuant to section 6(1) 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 7(1) 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.
Is the motion carried?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Acting Chair: Carried.
Do I have a mover for motion 7, travel?
Senator Karetak-Lindell 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.
Is the motion carried?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Acting Chair: Carried.
Do I have a mover for motion 8, designation of members travelling on committee business?
Senator White: I so move.
The Acting Chair: The Honourable Senator White 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.
Is the motion carried?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Acting Chair: Agreed.
Do I have a mover for motion 9, witness expenses?
Senator Pate: I so move.
The Acting Chair: The Honourable Senator Pate moved:
That, pursuant to the Senate guidelines for witness expenses the committee may reimburse reasonable expenses related to the appearance 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.
Is the motion carried?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Acting Chair: Carried.
Do I have a mover for motion 10, communications?
Senator Boyer: I so move.
The Acting Chair: The Honourable Senator Boyer 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 and products where appropriate and to request the services of the Senate Communications Broadcasting and Publications 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.
Is the motion carried?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Acting Chair: Carried.
The communications officer assigned to the committee is Chelsea DeFazio. Welcome back, Ms. DeFazio. Ms. DeFazio has been with the Senate’s Communications Broadcasting and Publications Directorate for two and a half years, starting with the Senate’s youth outreach program. In September 2024, she became APPA’s Communications Officer and will reprise this role for this session. She looks forward to contributing to the promotion of the committee’s important work.
This brings us to the final item before adjournment: Other Business.
The time slot for regular meetings is Tuesdays from nine o’clock to eleven o’clock ET and Wednesdays from 6:45 to 8:45 p.m. ET.
I now propose that members’ staff be allowed to attend in camera meetings, unless otherwise agreed to by the committee and/or the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure.
Is the motion carried?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Acting Chair: Carried.
Is there anything anyone would like to add before adjournment?
This brings us to the end of our meeting. I thank you for your participation today, and I look forward to a productive session.
(The committee adjourned.)