Official Languages Committee on Feb. 17th, 2016

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

I invite the analysts to come and sit down.

Welcome.

The second motion deals with Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, and reads as follows:

That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of five (5) members, including the chair, the two vice-chairs, and two members of the government; the quorum of the subcommittee shall be permitted to have one assistant attend any meetings of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure; in addition, each party shall be permitted to have one staff member from the whip's office attend any meetings.

May I have a mover?

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

I am Darrell Samson, from Nova Scotia, and I so move.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

I would like a clarification.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Please go ahead.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

I am going to quickly reread the motion on the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure.

That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of five (5) members, including the chair, the two vice-chairs, and two members of the government; the quorum of the subcommittee shall consist of at least three (3) members; each member of the subcommittee [...]

The motion refers to two members of the government. Is that standard procedure? Would it be possible to have only one?

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Pardon me?

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

It says “five (5) members, including the Chair, the two vice-chairs, and two members of the government.” That means two additional members, clearly.

I simply want to know if that is standard procedure.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

The government traditionally has a majority in the subcommittee.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Very well.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

So there is the chair and two members of the government, and two vice-chairs who are not members of the government.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC]

That is how we have always done things.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

The motion has been moved by Darrell Samson. Do Paul Lefebvre or Linda Lapointe second the motion?

[An hon. member]

The motions do not need to be seconded, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Oh, I see.

[Linda Lapointe, Liberal, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

We must not forget Mr. Mauril Bélanger.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

The next motion deals with the reduced quorum:

That the chair be authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence and to have that evidence printed when a quorum is not present, provided that at least four (4) members are present, including one member of the opposition and one member of the government.

Mr. Mauril Bélanger moves the motion.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

The next motion concerns the distribution of documents:

That only the clerk of the committee be authorized to distribute documents to members only when such documents exist in both official languages and that the clerk shall inform the witnesses of this requirement at the time of the invitation to appear.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC]

I so move.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

The next motion is on working meals.

That the clerk of the committee be authorized to make the necessary arrangements to provide working meals for the committee and its subcommittees.

[Linda Lapointe, Liberal, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

I so move.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

The next motion is about witnesses' travel and living expenses:

That, if requested, reasonable travel, accommodation and living expenses be reimbursed to witnesses not exceeding two (2) representatives per organization; and that, in exceptional circumstances, payment for more representatives be made at the discretion of the chair.

[Dan Vandal, Liberal, Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB]

I so move.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

The next motion deals with the presence of staff at in camera meetings:

That, unless otherwise ordered, each committee member be allowed to be accompanied by one staff person at an in camera meeting and that each party be allowed one additional staff person at such meetings.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC]

I so move.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

The next motion deals with transcripts of in camera meetings:

That one copy of the transcript of each in camera meeting be kept in the committee clerk's office for consultation by members of the committee.