Evidence of meeting #77 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was clause.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Olivier Champagne  Legislative Clerk, House of Commons
Ruth Naylor  Executive Director, Information and Privacy Policy Division, Chief Information Officer Branch, Treasury Board Secretariat

4:35 p.m.

Green

Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC

A Green amendment has passed. Thank you.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Bob Zimmer

Yes, thank you.

As PV-15 carries, NDP-33 cannot be moved.

Now we go to amendment LIB-9.

Mr. Erskine-Smith, or whoever your designate is.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Nathaniel Erskine-Smith Liberal Beaches—East York, ON

Mr. Dubourg.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Emmanuel Dubourg Liberal Bourassa, QC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

This amendment corrects a drafting error in the bill. So that's why we want to change it, if it's in fact a fourth quarter. That's what I propose.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Bob Zimmer

Thank you, Mr. Dubourg.

Mr. Cullen.

4:35 p.m.

NDP

Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

To be clear, are we on amendment LIB-9.1, or are we on amendment LIB-9?

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Bob Zimmer

We are on LIB-9.

4:35 p.m.

NDP

Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

Okay, I have a similar request to last time. I'm just curious. I can read the amendment, but I'd just like to know the rationale for it and on which testimony it is based, if any.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Emmanuel Dubourg Liberal Bourassa, QC

It's not necessarily based on testimony, as you say. It is rather the way the clause was written. In the bill, it says: “Within 30 days after the end of the quarter in which a contract... is amended...”. We want make it clearer by adding “or within 60 days after the end of that quarter if that quarter is the fourth quarter”. You see the nuance. Right now, it only says: “Within 30 days.” By adding the fourth quarter, we are extending the deadline.

4:35 p.m.

NDP

Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

Are we talking to amendment LIB-9 or LIB-9.1? I'm a bit confused.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Bob Zimmer

With respect, Mr. Dubourg, we're still on amendment LIB-9. I think you were speaking to amendment LIB-9.1.

4:35 p.m.

NDP

Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

It deals with quatrième trimestre and all those things.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Emmanuel Dubourg Liberal Bourassa, QC

Yes, exactly.

Thank you. It's a drafting error.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Bob Zimmer

That's fine, thank you, Mr. Dubourg.

If there's no further debate, we'll vote on amendment LIB-9.

(Amendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

Who would like to speak to amendment LIB-9.1?

Mr. Picard.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Michel Picard Liberal Montarville, QC

Can I have a 45 seconds just to clarify something?

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Bob Zimmer

Yes, you can do that.

Mr. Picard.

4:40 p.m.

Liberal

Michel Picard Liberal Montarville, QC

The purpose of this amendment is to correct an error in the alignment of proposed subsections 86(1), 86(2) and 86(3). They should be aligned, to be part of the same section.

4:40 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Bob Zimmer

Thank you, Mr. Picard.

Are there any comments or debate on amendment LIB-9.1?

(Amendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

We have amendment PV-16, as well as a note saying it is identical to amendment LIB-10 and amendment LIB-10 cannot be moved after a vote on PV-16.

Ms. May.

November 8th, 2017 / 4:40 p.m.

Green

Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

This is again based on recommendations from the Information Commissioner, and I just want to read from her text. This one sentence distills very clearly why this amendment is being made. This is a quote:

Proactive disclosure requirements, where the government chooses what is disclosed, are not the same as subjecting these entities to the right of access, where requesters can choose what is requested and are entitled to independent oversight of government's decisions on the disclosure of information.

What I am proposing to delete here, I gather, is identical to another motion to delete. The purpose of this deletion is to remove what's found at section 91, which removes from the Information Commissioner any jurisdiction over those identified pieces of information, such as spending limits, grants and contributions, briefing materials, and so on. The government under Bill C-58 is proposing that it will automatically disclose such information, but without allowing the Information Commissioner to check on what it's doing.

This provision and my deletion would allow the Information Commissioner to have oversight over the proactive disclosure requirements that the government is bringing forward.

I see no harm in it. I certainly hope I'm on a roll here. Thank you.

4:40 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Bob Zimmer

Mr. Cullen.

4:40 p.m.

NDP

Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

Dare to dream. I think it's good. I hope you are on a roll too, simply because if the government—the ministers who appeared—saw the importance of the proactive disclosure piece and of their efforts, simply allowing the Information Commissioner access to those similar files shouldn't be a problem, because they're all meant to be public anyway.

The Information Commissioner asked for this. It is certainly reasonable to grant it to her and to future commissioners.

4:40 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Bob Zimmer

Is there any further debate on PV-16?

(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])

We'll move to LIB-10.1.

Who's the spokesperson?

4:40 p.m.

Liberal

Mona Fortier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

I am, Mr. Chair.

4:40 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Bob Zimmer

Ms. Fortier.

4:40 p.m.

Liberal

Mona Fortier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

We are proposing this amendment given the concerns expressed about this part of the bill. It is one of the amendments that we are introducing today. I would like us to adopt this amendment.