Evidence of meeting #9 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 meeting.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Arnold Chan Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Could I suggest that we just discuss informally what we're thinking so far and go in camera?
Liberal
Arnold Chan Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Just on witness lists. I don't think it's terribly controversial. You understand what I'm getting at. We already kind of said it on the record last time. I'm not talking about voting on it. It's just to signal where we're coming from with regard to the witnesses on the family-friendly initiative. I don't think it's terribly controversial, but I think we should talk about it in camera. We'd just go off the record, that's all.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
Is it okay to spend a few minutes on it? Obviously there's going to be a lot of discussion later, but if there's something we can get out of the way now, is that okay?
Mr. Christopherson.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
I just want to make sure that the reason we're going in camera to talk about witnesses is we're talking about members and their circumstances. We need to have a good rationale for going in camera, other than just wanting to.
Liberal
Arnold Chan Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
It could affect members' privileges. There are those kinds of issues. Once again, we're not voting on who's coming or not coming. I just want to table what we're thinking.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
The issue, based on your campaign record and what we believe in, is that moving from a public meeting to an in camera meeting is something that matters, and I just wanted to be clear. I'm quite prepared to do that. We haven't settled those other things, but that won't come into play here.
I'm in agreement. I just wanted to put the rationale on the record. The reason is that we're talking about members, their personal circumstances, and their privileges and rights. If there's any chance that we might violate those, let's go in camera, given the nature of what we're doing. There's no decision-making or anything, so—
Liberal
Arnold Chan Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
We'll say that if there is decision-making, we'll come back to a public meeting if it's controversial. Is that okay?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
Okay. Is everyone is agreed to go in camera for a few minutes?
(Motion agreed to)
We'll have to suspend for a minute to get that done technically.
[Proceedings continue in camera]
[Public proceedings resume]
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
We've just moved back into a public meeting after being in camera.
Go ahead, Mr. Chan.
Liberal
Arnold Chan Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Are you referring to your notice of motion? We understood there was some discussion about some proposed changes. I don't have a black-lined version of that. Is there a black-lined version of some of the proposed changes to Mr. Christopherson's motion?
Liberal
Arnold Chan Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
We'll take this offline. I'll speak to David about this. We'll follow up where we were chatting about it before. Thanks.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
I was reading the sexual harassment policy that was approved near the end of the last Parliament, I think, and in it there are references to PROC that must remain in camera, so that should probably be on our list, just because it's the law.
Liberal
Arnold Chan Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
I had proposed a bunch of amendments, and I think that was one of them.
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
When you joined up as an MP this time, you had to sign a sexual harassment policy. It is a very long policy, but in that policy it says that under certain circumstances, the case comes to PROC, and if it comes to PROC, it has to be in camera.
I'm just reflecting the reality, so that we don't contravene a law.
Liberal
Arnold Chan Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
I had added that, actually, to Mr. Christopherson's list. It was one of the amendments that I had proposed.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Larry Bagnell
Do you want to circulate copies around the room so that people have it?
