Justice Committee on Sept. 26th, 2023

[The Clerk of the Committee, Mr. Jean-François Lafleur]

I call the meeting to order.

Good afternoon, honourable members of the committee. I see quorum.

I must begin by informing members that the clerk of the committee can only receive motions for the election of the chair. The clerk cannot receive other types of motions and cannot entertain points of order or participate in debate.

We can now proceed to the election of the chair.

Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the chair must be a member of the government party.

I am ready to receive motions for the chair. Are there any nominations?

[Élisabeth Brière, Liberal, Sherbrooke, QC]

I would like to nominate Mrs. Metlege Diab for the chair.

[The Clerk]

Thank you.

Are there any others?

Mr. Mendicino, would you like to make a nomination?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

No.

[The Clerk]

Okay.

Are there any further motions?

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Liberal, Lena Metlege Diab]

I accept.

[Voices]

Hear, hear!

[The Clerk]

Congratulations.

I invite you to take the chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Lena Metlege Diab]

Thank you very much, dear colleagues. It's a real pleasure to be here.

Thank you so much for placing your confidence in me to be the chair. I will be a fair chair and I hope to work with all colleagues from all political parties. I don't see why we can't. We've done very well up to this point in the last two years.

I wish our last chair, Randeep Sarai, the very best of luck in his new parliamentary duties.

What we will be doing is calling for a steering committee meeting next, if that is the wish of the committee. Do I hear any motions or anybody who would like to report on anything for today?

Why don't we suspend for a few moments so that I can confer with the table?

All right, folks, let me clarify something. My understanding is that you would like the steering committee to meet at the next meeting. Am I correct in that?

Go ahead, Mr. Maloney

[James Maloney, Liberal, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Yes. You are correct in that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Lena Metlege Diab]

Do I have a motion for adjournment?

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Madam Chair, will there be a meeting of the committee after the steering committee meeting, or will it only be the steering committee meeting?

[An hon. member]

It's committee business.

[The Chair, Liberal, Lena Metlege Diab]

Next Thursday we'll have the steering committee meeting.

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Is it only the steering committee meeting?

[The Chair, Liberal, Lena Metlege Diab]

I believe that seems to be the consensus around the table. Is that correct?

Go ahead, Mr. Garrison.

[Randall Garrison, NDP, Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, BC]

I think we will know by the end of the day whether, in fact, the House will be sitting on Thursday, so people should keep in mind that we may not be sitting on Thursday. Discussions are under way because of the necessity of electing a new Speaker and about when that will take place.

Rather than specifically saying next Tuesday, I think we're saying that the next meeting of the committee would be the steering committee meeting.

[The Chair, Liberal, Lena Metlege Diab]

That's a fair point.

[Randall Garrison, NDP, Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, BC]

I'm just trying to be helpful.

[The Chair, Liberal, Lena Metlege Diab]

I believe I have a motion on the floor to adjourn. I believe I saw everybody confirming that they're okay with that.

Thank you, everyone. Have a wonderful rest of the afternoon, and we'll see you at the next meeting. The meeting is adjourned.