Evidence of meeting #1 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was going.
A recording is available from Parliament.
The Clerk of the Committee Mr. Chad Mariage
Honourable members,
I see a quorum.
First of all, allow me to congratulate you all on your elections. Welcome back.
My name is Chad Mariage. I'm going to be the clerk of the committee until I'm not--
The Clerk
--until I'm switched.
I'd also like to introduce you to the committee assistant, Cynthia Verner. Your staff will likely deal with her quite a bit, so I just wanted to make sure to introduce you all to her.
I must inform members that the clerk of the committee can only receive motions for the election of chair. The clerk cannot receive other types of motions and cannot entertain points of order or participate in debate.
We can move to the election of the chair.
Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the chair must be a member of the official opposition.
I am ready to receive motions for the position of chair.
The Clerk
Mr. Del Mastro moves that Mr. Cullen be named chair of the committee.
Are there any other motions?
Seeing none, all those in favour of the motion?
(Motion agreed to)
I declare Mr. Cullen chair of the committee.
The Clerk
Before asking you to take the chair, Mr. Cullen, with the consent of the committee I will proceed to the election of the vice-chairs.
Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2) once again, the first vice-chair must be a member of the government party. I'm now prepared to receive motions for first vice-chair.
Mr. Angus.
The Clerk
Mr. Angus moves that Ms. Davidson be elected first vice-chair.
Are there any other motions?
Seeing none, all those in favour of the motion?
(Motion agreed to)
Congratulations, Ms. Davidson. You are elected first vice-chair.
The Clerk
Once again pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the second vice-chair must be a member of an opposition party other than the official opposition.
I am now ready to receive motions for the position of second vice-chair.
The Clerk
Mr. Casey moves that Mr. Andrews be elected second vice-chair.
Are there any other motions?
Seeing none, all those in favour of the motion?
(Motion agreed to)
Congratulations to Mr. Andrews in absentia.
I invite Mr. Cullen to take the chair.
NDP
The Chair NDP Nathan Cullen
Thank you very much to my nominator. I wish on May 2 it had been that easy. We have to do other things in our lives.
I welcome all committee members to the standing committee. This is one of the most critical ones that Parliament holds, of the 24.
Before we get through some routine proceedings, I'll welcome all the new members to Parliament, and, I assume, to your first committee as well. For those of us who have been here a couple of years longer, a committee is the place where we can get into a lot of substantive detail. It has a lot less partisanship in general, I find, than the House of Commons itself. We can really delve into some of the issues. I think this committee in particular has some issues in front of it that could be very interesting and engaging for us all.
I will be relying on Chad a lot in the next little bit, but we're going to get through some of the standard procedures.
Everyone received a briefing book from the clerk's office, is that correct?
You haven't yet, John?
Conservative
John Carmichael Conservative Don Valley West, ON
No. It may have arrived late yesterday, but I hadn't received it when I....
NDP
The Chair NDP Nathan Cullen
There's this little strike going on right now that we're trying to deal with.
What I might suggest is that you have some notes in front of you as well on the routine motions that exist for this committee.
For those who are new to committee, these are the rules that guide us in our deliberations, in the way we conduct ourselves--the allocation of time for questioning and whatnot.
I'm wondering what's the best order to proceed, Chad, if we have some members without this.
NDP
The Chair NDP Nathan Cullen
The list in front of you says, “Routine motions, opening of a session, 40th Parliament, 3rd session”. If I'm correct, these are the motions that were carried by the committee the last time. There are going to be some changes, because of course we have only three parties sitting on committee now, whereas previously there were four. So you'll see one or two changes that will be obvious to us all.
First we have to do the motion on services of analysts from the Library of Parliament. Do folks need a bit of time to read through each of these as we pass? I don't want to rush anybody. This is mostly procedural.
We'll just run through these as quickly as possible.
Does the motion on services of analysts from the Library of Parliament seem okay to everyone?
I need someone to move the motion.
Mr. Angus.
NDP
The Chair NDP Nathan Cullen
It is moved by Mr. Angus.
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
NDP
The Chair NDP Nathan Cullen
Now we have the formal invitation of the analysts to come and join us at the front here. They will be our brains.
Why don't you folks take a second to introduce yourselves so that committee members are familiar with who you are and what you do?
Dara Lithwick Analyst, Library of Parliament
Good morning. My name is Dara Lithwick. I've been an analyst on this committee for the past year and a half or a bit more than that. I look forward to working with you. I've worked with some of you also on copyright, so I think it's going to be a terrific session.
Thank you.
Sebastian Spano Analyst, Library of Parliament
Good morning. My name is Sebastian Spano. I'm new on the committee. I'll be working with Dara, but I've been an analyst and have served on other committees in the House and on the Senate side--procedure and House affairs and Senate rules among others.
Thank you.
