Evidence of meeting #1 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 41st 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.
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
11:10 a.m.
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
I would ask that instead of one “from each recognized party” it be “one member from the opposition”. It is at the end of the first paragraph under “Reduced Quorum”.
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Mark Warawa
Is there any further discussion on that?
Are you moving that as an amendment, or is it accepted as a friendly amendment?
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Mark Warawa
It is accepted as a friendly amendment.
I'm used to local government. I will learn the rules of the committee.
You have accepted that. Is there any further discussion?
11:15 a.m.
NDP
Megan Leslie NDP Halifax, NS
There is no further discussion, but can I just have a little bit of time?
11:15 a.m.
Conservative
Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON
Could you repeat the wording of the amendment, please?
11:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Mark Warawa
At the end of the first paragraph under “Reduced Quorum”, instead of it saying “including one member from each recognized party” it would say “including one member from the opposition”.
Is there any further discussion?
One moment.
11:15 a.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Centre-North, AB
This implies that this is a member of the committee, correct?
11:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Mark Warawa
So if you wanted to have a replacement, that person would have to sign the proper forms to be a replacement. Okay?
(Motion agreed to) [See Minutes of Proceedings]
Next on the list is distribution of documents: that only the clerk of the committee be authorized to distribute to the members of the committee any documents, including motions; that all documents that are to be distributed among the committee members must be in both official languages; and that the clerk shall advise all members appearing before the committee of this requirement.
11:15 a.m.
An hon. member
So moved.
11:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Mark Warawa
(Motion agreed to)
Next we have staff at in camera meetings. The motion reads that each committee member in attendance shall be permitted to have one staff member attend any in camera meetings; in addition, each party shall be permitted to have one staff member from a House officer attend in camera meetings.
11:15 a.m.
An hon. member
So moved.
11:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Mark Warawa
(Motion agreed to)
Now, on in camera transcripts, it states that in camera meetings be transcribed and that the transcription be kept with the clerk of the committee for later consultation by members of Parliament.
Is there discussion on this?
Ms. Leslie.
11:15 a.m.
NDP
Megan Leslie NDP Halifax, NS
This is not on the motion; I'm fine with the motion. But I was hoping to take this opportunity to ask the chair.... It can be really embarrassing when you say what happened in a meeting, not realizing that it was in camera, or not realizing that the agenda would come out the day after or something like that.
So I was hoping that the chair would try to remember to always remind us when we're in camera. It changes throughout a meeting. Remind people that we're not in camera or that the agenda we come up with at a meeting will be published in 24 hours, etc. It's just so we don't get into that problem, because we've all done it, and it's embarrassing.
11:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Mark Warawa
That's a very good idea. I will do my best to remind the committee to respect the confidentiality of in camera meetings.
11:15 a.m.
Conservative
Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
At the justice committee, from which I came a little while ago, Mr. Brian Jean proposed a variation of this, which rather struck me as being a good one. His point was that in camera proceedings are confidential to the committee, and therefore by allowing transcripts of in camera proceedings to be available to all members of Parliament, we're kind of going against the notion that the meeting is in camera for committee members.
What the justice committee did was substitute for the word “Parliament” the words “the committee”, and therefore simply made it clear that the transcripts were available only to the committee members. Now, that might include someone who was acting as a committee member at the time the meeting in camera occurred, or it might include also some member of the committee afterward, but it would only be a member of the committee.
If that's acceptable as a friendly amendment, I'll propose that.
11:20 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Mark Warawa
We'll do this properly, I think. Instead of having friendly amendments, we'll do it properly and we'll have amendments.
So you're moving an amendment?