THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON THE BUILDING CANADA STRONG ACT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
OTTAWA, Thursday, October 8, 2026
(1)
[English]
The Special Senate Committee on the Building Canada Strong Act met this day at 2:15 p.m., in room C128, Senate of Canada Building, for the purpose of its organization, pursuant to rule 12-13.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Boehm, Cuzner, Gignac, Hébert, Manning, Miville-Dechêne, Mohamed, Patterson, Prosper, Quinn, Wells (Newfoundland and Labrador), Wilson, Woo, Youance and Yussuff (15).
Participating in the meeting: Nadia Faucher and Joey Arsenault-Watters, Analysts, Library of Parliament; Nicholas Daoust, Communications Officer, Communications, Broadcasting and Publications Directorate.
The clerk of the committee presided over the election of the chair.
The Honourable Senator Woo moved that the Honourable Senator Manning do take the chair of this committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The clerk invited the Honourable Senator Manning to take the chair.
The chair presided over the election of the deputy chair for the Independent Senators Group.
The Honourable Senator Boehm moved that the Honourable Senator Yussuff be deputy chair of this committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The chair presided over the election of the deputy chair for the Progressive Senate Group.
The Honourable Senator Cuzner moved that the Honourable Senator Wilson be deputy chair of this committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The chair presided over the election of the deputy chair for the Canadian Senators Group.
The Honourable Senator Patterson moved that the Honourable Senator Gignac be deputy chair of this committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The chair moved:
That, in the unavoidable absence of the Chair, the Deputy Chair representing the recognized party or recognized parliamentary group with the largest representation in the Senate shall preside over meetings of the Special Committee, followed, in descending order of representation, by the other Deputy Chairs.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Yussuff moved:
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of the chair, three deputy chairs and a member of the Government Representative Office, as a non-voting member, even if that Senator is not a member of the committee;
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 Yussuff moved that the committee publish its proceedings.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Yussuff 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.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Yussuff 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.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Gignac 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 Yussuff 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 Yussuff 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.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Yussuff 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 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 Honourable Senator Gignac moved that each committee member be allowed to have one staff person present at in camera meetings, unless otherwise agreed to by the committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The committee discussed a draft agenda (future business).
At 2:28 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Vincent Labrosse
Clerk of the Committee