Information & Ethics Committee on Nov. 7th, 2013

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

I see it's 9:15, and therefore we'll call the meeting to order, ladies and gentlemen.

Mr. Angus.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

You can call the meeting to order. I just wanted to get your attention.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

I was just about to announce that we're here for the fourth meeting of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics.

Today the agenda is quite straightforward.

Mr. Angus, did you want the floor?

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Yes, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

Over the course of the next meeting, and perhaps two meetings, we are looking forward to discussing direction. We have some unfinished business from the previous committee in the last session that we may consider. The conflict of interest report is still outstanding; we haven't finished it. I will be bringing forward a motion to ask that we have a one-day briefing so that new members are brought up to speed before we take any more steps on it—so that we're all feeling that we fully understand it.

I understand from the last session that we had discussed the issue of a data breach. Are my colleagues and the Conservatives still interested in going forward with that? We're certainly more than willing to follow through, because those are the commitments we made last spring.

I wanted to bring to the attention of my new colleagues, especially the new members on the committee, that we have the four officers of Parliament who report to our committees, and I think it would be good to have each of them come, especially our Privacy Commissioner, who is leaving. So I would think one of our top orders of business would be to bring the Privacy Commissioner to give her final report before she leaves, because she's done excellent work for us.

I have a few things that I'd like to put on our agenda that we would like to discuss.

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(h)(iv), the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics invite the Privacy Commissioner to present and explain the content of her 2012-2013 annual report on the Privacy Act before November 29, 2013.

We will be bringing that forward. I will pass it over to be looked at.

We would also be asking that the committee request a two-day briefing from the Privacy Commissioner and CRA in relation to the data breaches at the Canada Revenue Agency and the department's ability to track and respond to breaches. I think this is something our committee should certainly be looking at.

As well, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(h)(iv), this one is that this committee study the Privacy Commissioner's audit report of the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada, tabled on October 25, 2013.

These are housekeeping issues that I think we need to get on our agenda. I'm certainly going to be looking forward to discussing it with my colleagues.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Just to make it clear, Mr. Angus, you were serving notice of your intention to make that a motion, or have you moved a motion that will trigger debate on the motion?

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Since we are doing committee business today, I bring them forward as motions to be discussed this morning.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

The clerk points out that we can only entertain one motion at a time and not a series of motions. The way I understood you, you were announcing to the committee your intention to propose those motions. If it's your intention to be moving motions right now, we could entertain the first one and it would be debatable.

How do you want to manage that?

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Certainly. I wanted to lay out our general framework so my colleagues know these are the housekeeping issues.

Did you want me to repeat the first one?

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Yes, you'll have to. We don't have a copy with the clerk.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(h)(iv), the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics invite the Privacy Commissioner to present and explain the content of her 2012-2013 annual report on the Privacy Act before November 29, 2013.

So we're looking to invite the Privacy Commissioner to explain the contents of her recent report. We're asking that she come before November 29, because she is leaving, and as she reports to our committee, we certainly think it would be a serious lost opportunity if we did not have her present before her term is finished.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Thank you.

The debate is on the motion, and we have Mr. Ravignat and then Mr. Calandra.

[Mathieu Ravignat, NDP, Pontiac, QC]

Before discussing the motion as such, since I am a new member of the committee, I want to inform my colleagues of what I intend to raise in the coming weeks. For instance, it would be a good idea for our committee to hold an information day on the mandatory review of the Conflict of Interest Act, which was examined during the previous session. Also, before moving to the report stage of that review, it would be good to hear the commissioner and the committee analysts for an hour each on this topic. It would also be important that the committee invite the Information Commissioner of Canada to present and explain the content of her 2012-2013 report, tabled in the House of Commons on October 17. These are the priorities I would like to add to those of my colleagues.

I will now debate Mr. Angus's motion. Since the commissioner will be leaving us soon, it is essential that we hear what she has to say. The government has had some difficulties regarding certain data, and it is absolutely essential that the committee examine that. During her mandate, the commissioner has been exceptionally forthcoming, and the committee should ensure that it benefits from her wisdom before she leaves us.

Thank you.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

Thank you, Mr. Ravignat.

Just as a point of information, the clerk advises me that they've already referred the conflict of interest matter back to this committee, so it's up to the committee if and when we pick it up again. But there has been a formal referral back to the committee.

Next, Paul Calandra.

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I think these are all very wonderful suggestions, but as a new member I just want to make sure that I'm on the right track on certain things, so I'm just going to ask us to move in camera.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

A motion to go in camera is non-debatable. Did you ask for a recorded vote?

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Yes, and not an unplugged vote.

[The Chair, NDP, Pat Martin]

I don't know what an unplugged vote is.

(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[Proceedings continue in camera]