Information & Ethics Committee on March 11th, 2010

[The Clerk of the Committee, Mr. Jacques Maziade]

Good day to all of the members of the committee.

I see a quorum. We can now proceed with the election of the chair. I'm ready to receive motions to that effect.

Mr. Easter.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

I move that Mr. Szabo be chair.

[The Clerk]

It has been moved by Mr. Easter that Mr. Szabo be elected chair of the committee.

Are there any further motions? No.

Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?

(Motion agreed to)

I declare the motion carried and Mr. Szabo duly elected chair of the committee.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[The Clerk]

Before inviting Mr. Szabo to take the chair, is it the wish of the committee to proceed to the election of the vice-chairs?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Clerk]

I'm now prepared to receive motions for the first vice-chair.

Mr. Siksay.

[Bill Siksay, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

I move that Pat Davidson be the first vice-chair.

[The Clerk]

It has been moved by Mr. Siksay that Madam Davidson be elected first vice-chair of the committee.

Are there any further motions?

Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?

(Motion agreed to)

I declare the motion carried and Madam Davidson duly elected vice-chair of the committee.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[The Clerk]

I am now ready to receive motions for the position of second vice-chair.

[Carole Freeman, Bloc, Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC]

I nominate Mr. Bill Siksay for the position of second vice-chair.

[The Clerk]

Mrs. Freeman moves that Mr. Siksay be elected second vice-chair.

Are there any other motions?

Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?

(Motion agreed to)

I declare the motion carried and Mr. Siksay duly elected second vice-chair of the committee.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[The Clerk]

I invite Mr. Szabo to take the chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Thank you, Jacques, for starting us off on the best committee on Parliament Hill--and the hardest working. I know the members here have had an opportunity to work with each other in the past, and we do have some very interesting work.

I'm proposing that next Tuesday, since our routine motions as to the construct of the steering committee are in place, our steering committee would meet at our regular meeting time. We'll give notice of that meeting for the members: Madam Freeman, Mr. Siksay, Madam Davidson, and myself.

I'm suggesting that each of the members of the steering committee would circulate to the others any general suggestions for consideration at the steering committee, so we could come somewhat prepared to formulate a recommendation to the full committee when our first full committee will occur on that following Thursday.

Madam Davidson.

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

Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Are we going to circulate them through the clerk?

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

No, no, I think the members informally, because I think that would be expeditious.

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

We'll do it amongst ourselves. Okay.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

There is only one other item, although it is not on our agenda. I have had some consultation with each of the parties. It has to do with the 10th and 11th reports of this committee from the last session. They were tabled in the House. We requested a response from the government within 120 days. We did receive a response from the Minister of Justice on both those reports. The committee considered the response of the minister and we have had correspondence requesting, and the minister has agreed to provide, a comprehensive response, which will be coming forward. We will continue to pursue that for the committee's consideration.

Prorogation, however, has taken those two reports that we referred to the House off the table. So in consultation with the parties, I would propose that those two reports be retabled in the House. I will specifically state that we are not requesting the government response within 120 days, simply because the government has already responded, but we have ongoing work there.

Mr. Siksay.

[Bill Siksay, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

I'll propose a motion to that effect. With regard to the report of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, entitled “The Privacy Act: First Steps Towards Renewal”, I move that it be retabled in the House.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Thank you.

Is there any discussion?

Mr. Poilievre.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

I'm sorry. I was premature. I think that seems reasonable, but I had a separate point on a separate report that related to the investigation on the Google mapping systems. I don't want to take us off subject.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Is there anything further on Mr. Siksay's motion?

There being nothing further, all those in favour?

(Motion agreed to)

Madam Freeman.

[Carole Freeman, Bloc, Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC]

I'm proposing that the report on the Access to Information Act be tabled once again to the House. I would like to make that a motion.