Evidence of meeting #48 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was amendment.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Clerk of the Committee  Mr. Richard Rumas
Jeff Esau  As an Individual
Amir Attaran  As an Individual

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel

Good morning, everyone. I call meeting number 48 to order.

Our first order of the day is the fourth report of the subcommittee on agenda and procedure. You have it in front of you.

9:05 a.m.

Conservative

David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON

Mr. Chairman, on a point of order, I assume we're going in camera for business.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel

No.

9:05 a.m.

Conservative

David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON

Yes.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel

No.

9:05 a.m.

Conservative

David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON

I would move that we do. We've done it every other time we have business. When we have business, we discuss it in private.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel

That's not true, Mr. Tilson. When we discuss--

9:05 a.m.

Conservative

David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON

I would move that we do it.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel

That's not a point of order, first of all--

9:05 a.m.

Conservative

David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON

I can make a motion, Mr. Chairman. I just made one.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel

If I recognize you. But you interrupted me on a point of order. I do not recognize your point of order. I'm in the middle of making my comments about our items of business.

9:05 a.m.

Conservative

David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON

My point of order is, sir, that you cannot talk about matters in public if we decide to go in camera. You just can't start off and talk about a report that the committee may decide to discuss in camera.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel

Sir, I've already pointed out to you that discussing a report of a subcommittee is not in camera. It's not the usual practice of this committee to do that. You do not have a point of order. At the appropriate time, when and if I recognize you, you can make whatever motion you want, but at this point we are on orders of the day and we're talking about item one, which is the fourth report of the subcommittee on agenda and procedure. There is no precedent in this committee for discussing subcommittee reports in camera. The committee could decide to do so.

9:05 a.m.

Conservative

David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON

Quite the contrary, there is, sir.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel

Are you arguing my ruling, Mr. Tilson?

9:05 a.m.

Conservative

David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON

Yes.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel

Are you appealing it?

9:05 a.m.

Conservative

David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON

Surely I have the right to comment on something.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel

You do not have the right to comment on a ruling I have made. You can either accept it or you can appeal it to the committee.

9:05 a.m.

Conservative

David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON

Mr. Chairman, I'm simply saying--

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel

I'm sorry, you're out of order.

The fourth report of the committee is in front of you. It reads--

9:05 a.m.

Conservative

Scott Reid Conservative Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON

Mr. Chair, on a point of order, are we dealing with the committee in public as opposed to in camera?

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel

That's correct.

9:05 a.m.

Conservative

Scott Reid Conservative Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON

I overheard a bit, but you're saying this is normal practice?

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel

That's correct.