Procedure and House Affairs Committee on April 29th, 2014

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

G-3 has not been voted on yet, so that has an amended 5.

[An hon. member]

G-2 was on clause 5.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

G-2 was on clause 5.

Mr. Lukiwski, G-2 was on clause 5.

All we're doing is voting on clause 5, folks. You like it or you don't.

[An hon. member]

On division.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

(Clause 5 agreed to on division)

We're now on G-3. I heard someone else say it was okay, and I went with that.

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

I would move that, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Mr. Lukiwski has moved G-3. Tell us about it.

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

Thank you very much.

This is one of the more contentious issues that we heard during testimony, and it's one of the government amendments that's received a fair amount of attention. As you will recall, there was some suggestion that there needs to be more assurances that the communications between the Chief Electoral Officer and the Commissioner of Canada Elections be entrenched and be preserved. This clause does that.

I also hearken back to the testimony by former auditor general Sheila Fraser who said that she wasn't necessarily opposed to the removal of the Commissioner of Canada Elections from under the auspices of Elections Canada and moving over to the DPP's office, but she felt that there had to be assurances that there would be ample and free communication between the Chief Electoral Officer and the Commissioner of Canada Elections. That's what this clause does.

This is an amendment that the government has brought in that says that the Chief Electoral Officer may disclose to the commissioner any document or information that he has obtained under the act that he considers useful to the commissioner. Also, on the request of the commissioner, conversely he can request any document or information that the Chief Electoral Officer may have with respect to any investigation that the Commissioner of Canada Elections is undertaking.

That quite simply ensures that free flow of information between the two offices is preserved.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Thank you, Mr. Lukiwski.

Mr. Scott.

[Craig Scott, NDP, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

We appreciate this. It's fine as far as it goes. Later we have NDP-71. We put a provision in the commissioner section that mirrors this a little. So this is a signal that there are one or two things in there that might be additional to this, but these two things on their own are fine and helpful. I'm glad this was something that the government listened to, and we'll support it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Super.

Mr. Simms, you're okay? Good.

We'll vote on amendment G-3.

(Amendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

It looks like that passes. Let's make them all like that.

(On clause 6)

[An hon. member]

Can we have a recorded vote?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

We'll have a recorded vote on clause 6.

(Clause 6 agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

(On clause 7)

We're now on NDP-8, which is to delete clause 7.

We're suggesting that in terms of this amendment, you'd be better off voting against clause 7 than trying to entertain an amendment that deletes clause 7.

[Craig Scott, NDP, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Is that another polite way of saying it's inadmissible?

[An hon. member]

Yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Yes, okay, or let's vote on it, one or the other.

[Craig Scott, NDP, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

If I could take just 30 seconds, the purpose of this would be to get rid of the current new section on communications for the Chief Electoral Officer. The result would be that the existing section in the Canada Elections Act would spring back into place.

Ultimately, we don't think this is needed. What's in the existing act is good. The fact is, though, that now that it's inadmissible, we'll be trying to make amendments to achieve a similar end.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Ms. May, you have something similar that does exactly the same thing. I'll give you a short time to tell us the same thing, I think.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

I'll try to make it interesting, something like that old joke about Liz Taylor and the seventh husband, but anyway....

This is a very important amendment, because section 18 of the existing act is important. Bill C-23 would eliminate the positive proactive measures the Chief Electoral Officer takes to assist in educating particularly those groups that might not be sufficiently familiar with this. We've certainly seen members in Parliament point out the various easy ways that they know how to vote, but we know there are disadvantaged groups in society who often don't have easy access to that information.

I strongly urge my friends on the Conservative side of the committee to consider the benefits of leaving section 18 of the act as it is, leaving it alone, by accepting this amendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Okay. Let's do this.

Oh, sorry, Mr. Christopherson; you're up.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

That's all right.

Can I have one second here? You'll be glad I took that second.

I'm good with dealing with what I want to on items coming up. I'm good here.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

All right.

On both of those, we'll move on to other articles in clause 7. We'll vote on clause 7 at the end of it. If we're going to add some stuff, and you want to delete it....

At the end of it we'll vote on clause 7.

I'll move to your amendment NDP-7.3, Mr. Scott.

[Craig Scott, NDP, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Are you absolutely sure I can move that now?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

I just get told and go.

Mr. Scott, it's your turn.

[Craig Scott, NDP, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

I can read it in English and then you have a copy. It's the same difference.