Oh, oh!
Evidence of meeting #8 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was gifts.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #8 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was gifts.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:35 p.m.
Voices
Oh, oh!
12:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Blake Richards
We have one final person on our list today, and that's Mr. Masse.
Welcome to the committee. You're subbing in. You have three minutes for some questions.
February 18th, 2016 / 12:35 p.m.
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I apologize for filling in at the last minute here. I might have questions that have already been answered, so I apologize in advance for that.
This is my 14th year in the House. Following this discretion and disclosure has been kind of like following a squirrel. It's been all over the map, and it's been very difficult.
I'm wondering about this. Have you ever shadowed an MP for a day in terms of what their day is like on the Hill here?
12:35 p.m.
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
No.
12:35 p.m.
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
Okay. I suggest that might be a good example, because one of the reasons is that I'm back as critic on industry, or innovation, science and technology, which is a very important file that gets a lot of lobbying activity. I was listening with interest to the comments with regard to receptions and the uncertainties related to them.
I hate receptions. I can't stand them. I have to go to so many rubber-chicken dinners when I'm at home, and I have a young family. They're now 15 and 11. But I have to do sometimes seven a night. Up on the Hill here, I'm equally busy, and the receptions are sometimes the only time between House duty, committee, speaking in the House of Commons, and meeting with people in my office, so that what it comes down to, if you actually want to meet on an issue, is that then you do it at a reception, because it's absolutely impossible to meet. Otherwise, you don't.
Can I get clarification on what can be discussed at a reception and what can be provided at a reception under the rules you're proposing?
12:35 p.m.
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
It's not so much what can be discussed but.... I mean, you can go to these receptions because they're without charge, I guess, and the gift is the food, right?
12:35 p.m.
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
Normally there's not a problem there, unless they're putting on a banquet of some kind. Normally it would be finger food and stuff, right?
12:35 p.m.
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
Yes, so you can go in and graze, and we don't see that as a problem.
12:35 p.m.
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
I hate doing them, to be honest with you. It's just not part of my.... I shouldn't say I hate doing them, but I would rather meet with people and discuss an issue in private, but sometimes you don't.
By the way, there are sometimes small gifts provided on the way out. They probably have a value of $10 or so.
12:35 p.m.
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
We exclude tokens. We would have that in our guidelines, if we could have them. That would be excluded.
12:35 p.m.
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
Also, in terms of disclosure for the $200 limit, I've forgotten this. I should know this, but I don't. When was that established?
12:35 p.m.
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
The $200? Just this June.
12:35 p.m.
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
It was $500.
12:35 p.m.
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
It was $500. That's right.
What's the time frame in which you do actually have to disclose that?
12:35 p.m.
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
It's 60 days.
12:35 p.m.
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
See, some of the stuff I haven't even gotten to at that time....
What's going to happen next year with the $200? Is it to be reviewed? Is it to be evaluated? Does it go with the rate of inflation?
12:35 p.m.
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
No, it's sitting there unless you change it, until Parliament changes it.
12:35 p.m.
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
That's one of the issues you may look at, because it looks like you'll probably be looking at gifts.
A decision was just taken to put the limit at $200. This is for reporting, not for acceptability. The more difficult issues revolve around reporting and acceptability and the different levels, different thresholds.
12:35 p.m.
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
It's not legislation; it's a code.