Evidence of meeting #1 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
11:50 a.m.
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
For working meals, it states:
That the clerk of the committee be authorized to make the necessary arrangements to provide working meals for the committee and its subcommittees.
11:50 a.m.
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
(Motion agreed to)
The next one is for travel, accommodation and living expenses of witnesses:
That, if requested, reasonable travel, accommodation and living expenses be reimbursed to witnesses not exceeding two (2) representatives per organization; provided that, in exceptional circumstances, payment for more representatives be made at the discretion of the chair.
11:50 a.m.
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
Next is access to in camera meetings:
That, unless otherwise ordered, each committee member be allowed to have one staff member at an in camera meeting and that one additional person from each House officer's office be allowed to be present.
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
Due to the fact that these routine motions seem to have been written in the pre-COVID era, can I ask the clerk what that means for virtual meetings and for hybrid meetings?
11:50 a.m.
The Clerk
Thank you, Mr. Albas. I was actually thinking about that when he was reading the motion.
Indeed, during in camera proceedings, we are allowed to have staff from the government House leader or the whips. They show up here in the Zoom meeting. You will see them. Their cameras are off, but they're there. It's one per party, and it's also one staff per party as well, such as administrative staff, with one for the Liberals, one for the Conservatives and so on.
I don't know if that answers your questions, but they're allowed to be in the Zoom meeting as though they were at the table. It's just that their cameras are off and they're not allowed to speak, but they are in the meeting.
11:50 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Also, through security, others won't be allowed entrance, because that's what the clerk controls.
(Motion agreed to)
Go ahead with the next motion, Mr. Longfield.
11:50 a.m.
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
It's a new world.
For transcripts of in camera meetings, it states:
That one copy of the transcript of each in camera meeting be kept in the committee clerk's office for consultation by members of the committee or by their staff.
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
Again, given that it's a COVID environment, it may not be reasonable for someone to physically present themselves, particularly if there are conditions that deny entry. I'd just like to hear how the clerk will be prepared to address this issue if we pass this.
11:50 a.m.
The Clerk
In terms of going to the clerk's office.... This is the only virtual meeting that we're going to have. For all the other meetings, MPs can join in person and other MPs can join virtually. The same can be said for the clerk's office. If you want to see the copies for in camera meetings, right now the only way is to come to the clerk's office. We keep at a distance of two metres and then you could consult the documents at my office. My office is available, and we can take precautions. For example, I can tell management that the MP is going to be joining me at my office, but everything should be and is workable in that regard right now.
Unfortunately, for reasons of security, we can't send in camera transcripts by email, but if you are connected through the House you can come to the office and I can show you the paper documents there.
I think Mr. Albas has more questions, Madam Chair.
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
Again, Madam Chair, I do appreciate that the clerk can be put in difficult situations to address hypotheticals, but it may not be reasonable to say that a member or their staff shall be able to have physical access, when physical access...may be ordered by a health authority or by the House itself.
Given the fact that we are given the same protections in our speech in this virtual setting, I would hope that the same privileges—I hate using the term, but here I mean the ancient sense of “privilege”, meaning that it's privileged information—and that access can be accommodated if there were a pandemic-related reason.
I don't think we need it now, but in case we are not able to be physically present due to some sort of health order, I would like the clerk and committee members to be alert to the fact that we may need to bring forward an amended version so that we do not deny members their rights.
11:55 a.m.
The Clerk
Mr. Albas, your point on privilege is a very good one, as it is indeed privileged information. I can tell you, representing the House administration, that if something were to happen so that it is not possible to see the documents, the House administration would make the documents available for you, the MPs of the committee, to consult. That would certainly happen and we would put these at your disposal. I have no doubt about that.
My management is listening to this meeting right now, so we'll make note of it. If you'd like, I can come back to you at a further date with it.
11:55 a.m.
Liberal