Evidence of meeting #33 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was lobbyists.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Bloc
Carole Freeman Bloc Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC
Last week, Ms. Dawson, we heard from the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. She told us that in her view there was some overlap between the Lobbying Act and the Conflict of Interest Act, particularly regarding post-employment rules for public office holders. She found it extremely difficult to monitor public office holders after the end of their terms.
Do you also think there is overlap between your two areas of authority?
Commissioner of Lobbying , Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying
There could perhaps be better coordination between the two, in some regards, but I do not have any further comment on that point.
Bloc
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
Thank you, Ms. Freeman.
Again, thank you kindly, Commissioner, and to your colleagues for being with us. I think it's been a very interesting meeting, a good meeting, to help members to appreciate the challenges you face. Of course, we look forward to working with you in the future on other matters related to your mandate.
Thank you kindly. You are excused.
We have a couple of administrative matters I want to deal with before we adjourn.
Colleagues, there are two items. One is that the clerk has circulated a copy of the latest—and it's not actually the latest because for Thursday's meeting it shows two possibilities. It shows privacy report or the access report on the 10 fixes. We're only doing one of those at the meeting. The only reason I had this initially as a question mark is it was dependent on whether or not Mr. Marleau was going to be available. Mr. Marleau is only available on Thursday. He will not be in the country for the following two weeks. I thought it would be helpful to have him maybe to answer any of your questions as we review that response, and maybe give you an opportunity to formally say goodbye to him as he left that position after we had met. So we will be dealing with the access quick fixes on Thursday only.
With regard to the November 5 meeting, similarly there's only the Privacy Act quick fixes. The Privacy Commissioner is not available on that date or any near date. As a consequence, we will be having the deputy commissioner appear at that one. PCO has also confirmed that they will be sending someone here; I just can't tell you who. It looks like until at least mid November this schedule of our work should be fairly reliable, and you can prepare for those meetings accordingly.
The last item circulated to you was a response from the President of the Treasury Board with regard to the panel on oversight. This committee had expressed a question or concern about whether or not the supplementary funding to the Access to Information Commissioner should have been extended, and I think the president has responded to us appropriately that the oversight panel, of which I'm a member in this committee, provides input but the decision is made taking broader factors into play. I think we'll have to consider that matter closed.
There being no further business, thank you, colleagues.
The meeting is adjourned.