Procedure and House Affairs Committee on Oct. 18th, 2018

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

When the Fair Elections Act came out, one thing that we quickly found troublesome was moving the commissioner away from Elections Canada. It's important that we put it back where it belongs and has been for most of its life. On that basis, I won't support amendments CPC-171 or CPC-172.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

I think we know where people stand on this, so we'll go to a vote.

[Stephanie Kusie]

Pardon me, Chair.

I'd like to thank Mr. de Burgh Graham for not referring to it as the “unfair elections act”. That was gracious.

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON]

He had no need to.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Stephanie, just for your own reference, at the time, I worked for Scott Simms, who was our democratic reform critic, so that was my file back then as well.

[Stephanie Kusie]

Okay.

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON]

Scott was always pretty fair-minded about it. There was another member who I thought was—

[Stephanie Kusie]

Whether you agree with him or not....

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

It's a “Scott” thing.

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON]

I wouldn't go that far.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

Okay, we'll go to the vote.

(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Could we not do CPC-172 together with CPC-171?

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

Are they the same thing?

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Basically, yes, CPC-172 is the same topic.

[Stephanie Kusie]

Yes, it maintains the authority to initiate prosecutions with the Director of Public Prosecutions.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

Mr. Nater, go ahead, present CPC-172.

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

Sure. I would just point out that the change that is being reversed in Bill C-76 we're changing with this amendment. It was actually first introduced in 2006 with the Federal Accountability Act, Bill C-2 at the time, which was at the time with multi-party support. This is reversing some of the good work that was done in the Federal Accountability Act.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

The vote on CPC-172 applies to CPC-174, which is on page 333; to CPC-176, which is on page 335; to CPC-177, which is on page 336; and to CPC-178, which is on page 337. They are linked together by the concept of instituting prosecutions.

[Ruby Sahota, Liberal, Brampton North, ON]

Mr. Chair, I just wanted to reiterate that this is restricting the abilities of the commissioner. We have heard...to that.

Are all of these amendments that you were talking about going to be affected if this one passes?

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

They'll all be approved if it passes, and they'll all be defeated if it's defeated.

We'll go to the vote on CPC-172.

(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])

Also defeated are CPC-174, CPC-176, CPC-177 and CPC-178.

We will now go on to CPC-173.

Stephanie.

[Stephanie Kusie]

This prohibits the commissioner of Elections Canada consulting the Chief Electoral Officer in respect of investigations of the Chief Electoral Officer or his staff.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

It prohibits him from what?

[Stephanie Kusie]

It prohibits the commissioner of Elections Canada from consulting the Chief Electoral Officer in respect of investigations of the Chief Electoral Officer or his staff.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

Is there a reason that you don't want him getting all the information?

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

What was that last part?

Are you suggesting that in the investigation of themselves...? If there is an investigation on the CEO, then they can't communicate under this provision.