Evidence of meeting #39 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was investigation.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Karen Shepherd  Commissioner of Lobbying
René Leblanc  Deputy Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying
Bruce Bergen  Senior Counsel, Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying

5:20 p.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON

--“will be done according to the terms set out in the document entitled 'Plan for an E-Consultation Process'”. It is a document I have read, and I don't see any costing in there, either.

This motion proposes that we go ahead with the e-consultation, not that we consider it or that we do some research to consider the possibility of doing it.

5:20 p.m.

Liberal

Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON

It's approval in principle.

5:20 p.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON

It says here that we should do it.

At the very least, if you say that this does not commit us to an expenditure, then the seventh report should be amended to say that the Library of Parliament be tasked to come back with a budget--a start-to-finish, firm, set budget--we can be certain about before we actually vote on it. Otherwise, you're asking us to vote on the commencement of a process for which there is no set budget.

5:20 p.m.

A voice

We don't do budgets.

5:20 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy

They don't do budgets.

We can come back to it, Mr. Poilievre, but I think this was discussed.

Maybe I'll speak to this. This has been talked about for quite some time at the steering committee. There seems to be--

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON

A lack of communication.

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy

Mrs. Bennett, please.

This is a step in the process where we can't go any further, to go out there to see what the budget will be, but there's no way we're going to do it until it comes back before this committee--and more importantly, until it goes to the liaison committee. There are a number of steps in this process and this is just one of them. If it's shut down by this committee at this point in time, we can't go any further. We cannot develop the business plan further. We cannot go to seek any kind of input from third-party consultants. This basically ends it, if that's the will of the committee.

I'd like to put the minutes of the steering committee to a vote.

(Motion agreed to) [See Minutes of Proceedings]

I know there are only a few minutes left. I would like to deal with the Google study if it's possible. That has been circulated. It's been before the committee on a number of occasions. We held it up last time waiting for additional information. That information has been received by the committee and circulated.

I believe, Mr. Siksay, you were the one who raised--

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Harold Albrecht Conservative Kitchener—Conestoga, ON

Did you want to go in camera?

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Shawn Murphy

Oh, I'm sorry, you're right. Thank you very much, Mr. Albrecht.

[Proceedings continue in camera]