Subcommittee on Solicitation Laws Committee on Oct. 30th, 2006

[The Chair, Liberal, John Maloney]

I'd like to call the meeting to order.

For committee business, the first item is routine motions. You have before you the list of motions that were adopted by the predecessor committee on December 9, 2004. They cover the standard routine motions that we always have. Has everyone had a chance to look at them? If so, can we have a motion to adopt them as presented, or does someone have amendments or suggestions?

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

Could we read through them quickly?

[The Chair, Liberal, John Maloney]

Okay.

In the meantime, we'll hear from Ms. Davidson.

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Mr. Chairman, I just have a couple of questions. Being new to this committee, though, I'm not sure whether they're appropriate or not.

On the other committees on which I've sat, we did pass a routine motion that 24 hours' notice was required on the tabling of all motions. I don't see that on here. It might be here, but I think it's important that it be tabled.

The other thing I was wondering about was the third motion down. It talks about “when a quorum is not present”, but I don't see anywhere that it says what a quorum is. How many are a quorum. Does there have to be a government member to constitute a quorum?

[The Chair, Liberal, John Maloney]

Yes.

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

It says “when a quorum is not present”. It does not say what a quorum is.

[The Clerk of the Committee, Mr. Eugene Morawski]

Quorum is the majority plus one.

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Okay.

[The Clerk]

There's no specification of opposition or government. Quorum is majority plus one. In this case it would be four.

[Art Hanger, Conservative, Calgary Northeast, AB]

We have six in total. We're just missing Hedy.

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

So four is the number?

[The Clerk]

We technically have a quorum already. Four is a quorum.

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Mr. Chairman, if I might, is it not necessary to have that in the standard motions?

[The Chair, Liberal, John Maloney]

You want to stipulate what a quorum is? I don't think it's necessary.

[The Clerk]

It's in the Standing Orders.

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Thank you.

And on the other one about 24 hours' notice on tabling a motion, I'd like to see that in the standard motions, please.

[The Chair, Liberal, John Maloney]

Not a problem.

Réal.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

Will the quorum go from three to four? Unless I'm mistaken, last time around, three members constituted a quorum. Are we agreed on that? Is this a reduced quorum?

[The Clerk]

According to the Standing Orders, a majority of subcommittee members constitutes a quorum.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

We can work with three members, but according to the Standing Orders, four members constitute a quorum.

[The Chair, Liberal, John Maloney]

Is there any further discussion?

Do you want to move your motion adding the...?

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Yes, I'd be glad to move that it be required that there be 24 hours' notice on the tabling of all motions.

[The Chair, Liberal, John Maloney]

Can we adopt the standard routine motions, including Ms. Davidson's?

(Motions agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[The Chair, Liberal, John Maloney]

The next item is the scheduling of meetings. That would include how we want to pick up from the previous committee and move on to a finalization of the report.

Réal Ménard.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

The fact that meetings were scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Monday was a bit of a problem. Since the Justice Committee will no longer be meeting on Tuesdays beginning next week, but on Mondays and Wednesdays instead, shouldn't we consider meeting on Tuesdays at either 3:30 p.m. or 5:30 p.m.?