Information & Ethics Committee on Oct. 29th, 2024

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

Thank you very much, Chair.

Before I move this other motion, I will say that I am just so pleased with how amazingly things are working today. I just want to say thank you to all of our colleagues for their amazing work on this committee, always. I know that their hearts are in the right place, even if their mouths are not.

I want to move this motion, as we are in committee business.

Given that there are concerns with transparency around the pricing of delivery services such as Uber, Lyft, Skip the Dishes, DoorDash and other companies providing similar services, including concerns about surcharges and service fees charged to customers, the safety and privacy of Canadians' personal data collected by them, and there are questions about whether delivery personnel who are gig workers have equitable changes.

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(h), the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics undertake a study on the impacts of Uber's operations in Canada, including: companies pricing structure, including surcharges and fees; personal data collected by delivery services; gig workers and their retention of any of the profits made.

And that the committee reports its findings and recommendations to the House.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

Thank you, Ms. Khalid.

The motion has been duly moved.

Are there any comments on the motion?

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

How many days?

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

It doesn't say. That was one of my questions. I'm glad you brought that up.

There's no timeline on this motion. Do we want up to three meetings?

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

Can I speak to that, Chair?

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

Yes, go ahead.

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

I was thinking more that once we have a witness list put together from all parties, we would be better able to gauge how many meetings and how much interest on this study there would be from everybody.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

Okay.

We can certainly do it that way. My preference is, similar to what we've done in the past, that we put a timeline on it to have up to three meetings, and then, if there's any desire of the committee to go beyond the three-meeting scope, we can certainly move a motion to extend the study. We can base that on not just the number of witnesses, but also the information that we're receiving.

That's my preference.

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

I take your discretion, Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

Okay.

Mr. Barrett.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

I won't move an amendment to that effect, if it finds general consensus that it's for three meetings.

I think the motion seems fine.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

Okay.

I'm going to look for consensus on this. I'm not going to look for some big debate on it.

Typically, we've started at three meetings. If we need to extend, we can do that.

Do we have consensus on having three meetings, adding that to the motion? Okay, I see consensus.

Are there any other comments on the motion? I see none.

Do we have consensus to agree to this motion?

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

In exchange for future consideration of my motion, yes.

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

I appreciate that comment, Mr. Barrett. Some day, when I write my book, maybe somebody will understand what that meant.

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

The eight people who read it.

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

Yes. Maybe I'll go on your Facebook page with 1,000 followers. You seem to have a lot of success with that.

Okay. The motion has been approved on consensus.

Oh, no, there isn't consensus. All right. Sorry, Mr. Villemure. I didn't see your hand up.

If you'd like to comment on the motion, the floor is yours.

[René Villemure, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

There may be another problem. Sorry, it's my fault.

Although the motion does have merit, I think it falls outside the committee's mandate. It seems inconsistent with our usual work. Considering everything we have on our plate right now, I think the motion should be defeated.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

Thank you, Mr. Villemure.

The motion covers a lot of elements. It deals with Canadians' privacy and personal data. I think it's in line with the committee's work, and for that reason, I find the motion to be in order. That said, thank you for your comment.

I don't see any other discussion.

We don't have consensus on this, so I'm going to ask the clerk for a recorded vote on this motion.

(Motion agreed to: yeas 10; nays 1 [See Minutes of Proceedings])

I don't have any other business in front of me.

I will tell the committee again that on Thursday.... We're in a bit of a transition period. I just talked to the analyst. I'm hoping we can perhaps get the study in front of the committee so that we can have it for consideration in camera on Thursday.

Next Tuesday, we have the Information Commissioner and the Commissioner of Lobbying coming before the committee, and then I'm going to try to get witnesses on the motion by Mr. Green that was passed for November 6. Hopefully, that sets us up for the next three meetings, so the next week and a half.

Not having any other business, this meeting is adjourned. Have a good night, everyone.