Evidence of meeting #1 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was minutes.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:45 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
Staff at in camera meetings: that unless otherwise ordered, each committee member will be allowed to be accompanied by one staff person at an in camera meeting, and in addition to that one person from either the whip's office, the House leader's office, or the research division of each party.
(Motion agreed to)
12:45 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
In camera meetings transcripts: that one copy of the transcript of each in camera meeting be kept in the office of the clerk of the committee for consultation by members of the committee.
12:50 p.m.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
I wonder if it's advisable to amend this proposal to include the staff person who was present at the meeting. I will tell you why. It was my practice last Parliament to send the staff member to go to consult the in camera minutes, but of course that was the staff person who was present at the meeting. Obviously, if the person can be present, if you can have a staff person present with you at the in camera meeting, there seems to me to be no reason why that person couldn't consult the minutes on your behalf. I would propose an amendment so it would be “...for consultation by members of the committee or the staff person who was present at the in camera meeting”.
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
Just give me a minute. I need some clarification on that.
The clerk has probably solved the problem. The subject of what Mr. Dykstra has to say is that the member who is unable to attend the clerk's office could send an e-mail to the clerk certifying that so-and-so is attending to look at the minutes. We don't need to put this in the rules. It is just a solution, and it is a good solution.
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
I have an issue with allowing a staff member this authorization, and herein lies the difficulty. When we are in camera, we are required, obviously, not to breach confidentiality. But if we allocate additional staff, other than the members themselves, to access the information, there is a potential for a breach, and not from a member. It may be from a staff person. So I'm not quite sure how we would address this by allowing a staff person the same privilege as a member.
12:50 p.m.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
That's a fair point, except we just passed a motion that allows the staff person to be present at the in camera meeting. The staff person would be bound. If the staff person were in here, the same fear and concern would be in existence. If we're going to let a staff person be present at the in camera meeting itself, it seems logical that the person should be able to consult the minutes. I don't think it's a big issue. It happened to me once in the last Parliament.
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
Well, what is the problem with the member going to get it, versus the staff person? What would be the reason a member wouldn't go to the clerk?
12:50 p.m.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
I went with my staff person last time. They checked. It is nice to have another person with you.
It's not a big deal. Our staff people who are here are working closely with us. As I say, I'm not going to press this much. It just strikes me that if they're going to be present at the meeting itself, they should be able to consult the minutes.
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
John Weston Conservative West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC
I agree that all employees are subject to the same rules of confidentiality as members.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
I'm comfortable with the comment that the person here in camera should be able to be designated. If we're out of the province, and we need to access something, we would have the ability, then, to send that staff person in, because he or she was here during the in camera portion. So it seems fair.
12:50 p.m.
NDP
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
12:50 p.m.
NDP
Jinny Sims NDP Newton—North Delta, BC
If you have a staff person who can be present during the debate, then it's really reasonable that he or she should be able to access the minutes for the member, if the member can't--
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
I think the clerk has solved the question I had. The member who is unable to attend the clerk's office, for whatever reason, would send an e-mail or a letter certifying that so-and-so or such-and-such staff person can attend on his or her behalf.
12:50 p.m.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
We can keep the language as it is, if that's the understanding. It's fine with me.
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
12:50 p.m.
A voice
He withdrew it.