Evidence of meeting #1 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rachael Thomas
I've been informed by the clerk that there are no supplementary estimates that are brought to this committee.
4:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rachael Thomas
According to our green book, the main estimates for the fiscal year are required to be tabled in the House of Commons and referred to the standing committees by no later than March 1 of each year. Then if a committee chooses to study and report on the main estimates, it must report them no later than May 31. Should the committee wish to do so, we would need to look at the main estimates sometime between March 1 and the end of May.
Because it's not March 1 yet, we haven't received them yet, so there is still a bit of time.
Ms. Shanahan.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Brenda Shanahan Liberal Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC
I just want to make the point that I'm not against this, of course not. These are our four commissioners who are very important to this committee and, on an educational basis, I'm all for it, but I'd like to have a more fulsome discussion because there are a number of topics. I'd like for us to be able to think about who we are bringing and how we are bringing them and what that means in terms of having the estimates come forward or not.
I like that you called for an adjournment, quite frankly, Madam Chair, because it's been a full day.
4:40 p.m.
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
It doesn't matter to me one way or the other. The mains, when we deal with the commissioners and we're talking about their budgets, that's one thing. Their overall function and so on.... They report to us, so if the committee doesn't want to bring them, that's okay. We can bring them whenever. I just thought it would be a good way to start, because the fundamental work of this committee is tied to privacy, ethics and information. We tend to invite them, but we can have that discussion whenever. It's no big deal for me.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Thanks, Chair.
Mr. Angus raises a good point about introducing committee members to each of the portfolios and the work of the commissioners. As far as setting timelines, with respect to Mrs. Shanahan's point and seeing what the calendar looks like, perhaps if Mr. Angus is agreeable, on Monday we could see if there's an opportunity for us to schedule them. When we're looking to populate our calendar with some motions, that would be a good time for that conversation.
I've had the preliminary conversations with some of the commissioners or their staff, and their presentations to us may give rise to work that we may wish to undertake at the committee. Though I have been known to head off in a direction without first reading what's in front of me, I think there is an opportunity here for us to maybe hear from the commissioners about the last Parliament and any of the work they've undertaken since the last Parliament. Some of the commissioners have never been before this committee since they were appointed. There's a good opportunity there.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rachael Thomas
Mr. Angus, because there's a motion on the table, I either have to call the question or you need to withdraw it.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rachael Thomas
Do I have the agreement of the committee to withdraw the motion?
4:40 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
