Evidence of meeting #1 for Library of Parliament in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was moved.
A video is available from Parliament.
The Joint Clerk of the Committee Simon Larouche
Honourable members, we'll now proceed with the first meeting of BILI.
I'm Simon Larouche, the clerk on the House side.
I will now let my colleague take over.
The Joint Clerk of the Committee Melissa Doyle
Honourable members, there is a quorum.
As joint Senate clerk of your committee, it is my duty to preside over the election of the Senate joint chair. I am ready to receive a motion to that effect.
The Joint Clerk Melissa Doyle
Are there any other nominations?
It is moved by MP Sukh Dhaliwal that Honourable Senator Tannas take the chair.
Is it your pleasure, members, to adopt the motion?
(Motion agreed to)
I declare the motion carried.
I invite Honourable Senator Tannas to take the chair.
The Joint Clerk Simon Larouche
Honourable members of the committee, I am the joint clerk of the committee for the House of Commons.
I must inform members that the clerk of the committee can only receive motions for the election of the chair. The clerk cannot receive other types of motions, cannot entertain points of order nor participate in debate.
We can now proceed with the election of the chair. Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the chair must be a member of the government party.
I'm ready to receive motions for the chair.
Ms. Chagger, go ahead.
Liberal
The Joint Clerk Simon Larouche
It has been moved by Ms. Bardish Chagger that Sukh Dhaliwal be elected chair of the committee.
Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?
(Motion agreed to)
The motion is adopted.
Mr. Dhaliwal, you can proceed as the elected chair of the committee.
We will now proceed to the election of the first vice-chair of the committee. Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the first vice-chair must be a member of the official opposition.
I am now prepared to receive motions for the first vice-chair.
Go ahead, Mr. Gill.
Conservative
The Joint Clerk Simon Larouche
It has been proposed by Mr. Amanpreet Gill that Mr. Stevenson be elected as the first vice-chair.
Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?
(Motion agreed to)
Thank you very much.
Mr. Stevenson is now the first vice-chair of BILI.
We now proceed with the last election.
Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the second vice-chair must be a member of an opposition party other than the official opposition.
I'm now prepared to receive motions for the second vice-chair.
Bloc
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Good morning, Mr. Chair and Mr. Clerk.
I nominate Louis Plamondon for the position of second vice-chair of the committee.
The Joint Clerk Simon Larouche
It has been moved by Rhéal Éloi Fortin that Louis Plamondon be second vice-chair of the committee.
Seeing no further motions, is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?
(Motion agreed to)
The Joint Clerk Simon Larouche
Mr. Plamondon is officially elected second vice-chair of the committee. Thank you.
The Joint Chair Hon. Scott Tannas (Senator, Alberta, CSG)
On analyst services, item number five, do I have a mover for the motion on analyst services?
It's moved by Ms. Chagger:
That the committee retain, as needed and at the discretion of the joint chairs, the services of one or more analysts from the Library of Parliament to assist in its work.
(Motion agreed to)
We invite the librarians to come to the table.
Do I have a mover for the motion on the powers of the joint chairs?
Go ahead, Mr. Holman.
The Joint Chair Hon. Scott Tannas
It was moved by Mr. Holman:
That the joint chairs 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 joint chairs report their decisions to the committee; and
That the joint chairs, on behalf of the committee, direct the research staff in the preparation of studies, analyses, summaries and draft reports.
(Motion agreed to)
Do I have a mover for motion number seven regarding communications?
It's moved by Mr. Beech:
That the joint chairs 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 and the House of Commons Social Media team for the purposes of the promotion of their work.
(Motion agreed to)
Do we have a mover for number eight regarding quorum and meetings without a quorum?
It is moved by Senator Coyle:
(a) That its quorum be fixed at six members, provided that each House is represented, and a member from a non-government party or recognized parliamentary group and a member from the government are present whenever a vote, resolution or other decision is taken; and
(b) That the joint chairs be authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence and to have that evidence published when a quorum is not present, provided that at least three members are present, including a member from the non-government party or recognized parliamentary group and a member from the government, provided that each House is represented.
(Motion agreed to)
I declare the motion carried.
Do we have a mover for motion nine on the distribution of documents and linguistic review?
It is moved by Madame Marie-France Lalonde:
That the joint clerks of the committee be authorized to distribute to the members of the committee only documents that are available in both official languages; and
That all documents submitted for committee business that do not come from a federal department, members' or senators' offices, or that have not been translated by the Translation Bureau, be sent for prior linguistic review by the Translation Bureau before being distributed to members.
(Motion agreed to)
Over to you, Chair.
Liberal
The Joint Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal
Thank you, Senator Tannas.
Do we have a mover for motion number 10 regarding witness statement and questioning?
It is moved by Mr. Holman.
Shall the motion carry?
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Do we have a mover for motion number 11 on access to in camera meetings?
Do you want me to read it, or does everybody have the wording? I'm sure everyone received this wording before.
It is moved by Mr. Amanpreet Gill.
Shall the motion carry?
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Now we go to motion number 12. Do we have a mover for the motion regarding transcripts of in camera meetings?
Madame Lalonde has moved it.
Shall the motion carry?
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
We're on to number 13.
Senator Coyle has moved the motion to publish committee proceedings.
Shall the motion carry?
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
We're moving on to number 14, which is with regard to notices of motion.
Senator Cuzner was my whip, so he carried the stick for me. Senator Cuzner has moved the motion.
Shall the motion carry?
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
The Joint Chair Hon. Scott Tannas
I like the way you do it. I'm not going to read out the motions anymore.
This one is motion number 15, which deals with technical tests.
Mr. Holman has moved the motion.
All in favour?
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Motion number 16 is about witness expenses.
Madame Lalonde has moved the motion.
Is the motion carried?
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Motion number 17 is regarding access to the digital binder.
Mr. Stevenson has moved the motion.
Is the motion carried?
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Motion number 18 is about other necessary arrangements.
Senator MacDonald has moved the motion.
Is the motion carried?
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Is there any other business?
Liberal
The Joint Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal
I have a motion for the first report. Is it agreed that the first report of the committee mandate and the powers be adopted and that the joint chairs present the report to their respective chamber at the earliest opportunity?
Liberal
The Joint Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal
Before we go to new business, Senator Tannas and I had a bit of a discussion. First of all, we want to thank you for putting your confidence in us. This is the easiest election I have ever fought.
Senator Tannas has a vision moving forward. I would like to give Senator Tannas the floor to please present it.
The Joint Chair Hon. Scott Tannas
Thank you.
Colleagues, I have spent the last many years on a subcommittee of the Senate that oversees the renovations that are ongoing on Parliament Hill, including the Centre Block, the new visitor welcome centre, the tunnels—everything. We coordinate with a working group of MPs who ultimately report to BOIE. Our subcommittee reports to CIBA.
One of the most important new things happening out of all of this will be when we go back to the Centre Block and the visitor centre. There's obviously going to be an extremely amped-up visitor experience for Canadians and others coming to see our Parliament buildings. There are plans for interactive rooms, theatres and all kinds of things that are very exciting and that Canadians will get great value out of. It's all being planned by the Library of Parliament.
I think it would be a good exercise of this committee's time to stay in close touch with the Library of Parliament, to hear what the plans are, how they're developing the plans, what the messages are and all of those kinds of things. Right now, there is not a connection to garden-variety parliamentarians like us. There is a connection between the Library of Parliament and the Speakers; that's it.
I think it would make a lot of sense for us to ask the Library of Parliament to come before the committee and keep us up to date and maybe, God forbid, hear some feedback from us on what we think would be great for Canadians to see, hear, look at and listen to when the Centre Block and the new parliamentary welcome centre open.
That's something that I think is in addition to the work that this committee does—I'm new to the committee, so I'm not familiar with it—in interacting with the Library of Parliament.
Liberal
The Joint Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal
Are there any comments or suggestions?
Senator, please go ahead.
Senator Mary Coyle Senator
I think it's a great idea to at least have a presentation. How far we meddle in the weeds of it is another issue, but it would be good to at least have an information session for us because it is Library of Parliament's work and we are working with the Library of Parliament here.
I think at least an information session would be a really good start and then we'll see from there.
The Joint Chair Hon. Scott Tannas
That's exactly right. I don't think we have any meddling power, but I think it would be a shame if we got all the way to the opening of the Centre Block and saw all of these interactive displays, presentations and so on and somebody said that they didn't know that was going to happen.
Liberal
The Joint Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal
Are there any more comments?
Honourable Chagger, please go ahead.
