Evidence of meeting #1 for Subcommittee on Private Members' Business in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was paper.
A recording is available from Parliament.
11:35 a.m.
Committee Researcher
The next item is Bill C-513. This bill would enact the retirement income bill of rights. It's a very long bill and I won't get into the details of it, but for example, it requires the Minister of Justice to examine proposed bills and proposed regulations to make sure they are consistent with some principles.
This bill does not concern questions outside of federal jurisdiction. It does not clearly violate the Constitution. It is not similar to another bill already on the order paper, and it's not similar to another government bill currently on the order paper.
11:35 a.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
11:35 a.m.
Committee Researcher
The next item is Motion M-448. It calls upon the government to commit to honouring the Afghan veterans through a permanent memorial on a new site in the national capital region. It's a motion, not a bill.
It does not concern questions outside of federal jurisdiction. It does not appear to clearly violate the Constitution. There is no similar motion currently on the order paper, and there is no similar motion from the government on the order paper.
11:35 a.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
11:35 a.m.
Committee Researcher
I don't know if you're using the chart or the list, but Bill C-517 was discharged yesterday, so the next item is Bill C-523.
This bill would enact the mandatory disclosure of drug shortages act, so the manufacturer or importer of drugs would have to disclose any shortage in the future.
This bill does not concern questions outside of federal jurisdiction. It does not appear to be against the Constitution. There is no similar private member's bill on the order paper, and there is no similar government bill on the order paper.
11:35 a.m.
Conservative
11:35 a.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
11:35 a.m.
Committee Researcher
The next item, Bill C-511, was also discharged.
The next item is motion M-441.
Motion M-441 asks that the government examine the Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations. These are federal regulations.
The motion does not deal with issues that are outside federal jurisdiction, does not clearly breach the Constitution, does not bear on issues already raised in a private member's motion, and does not deal with matters already brought forward in a government motion.
11:40 a.m.
Committee Researcher
The next bill is Bill C-526, Cracking Down on Organized Crime and Terrorism Act. It would amend sentencing in the Criminal Code. It would make amendments to Criminal Code provisions on sentencing.
The bill does not bear on issues that are not matters of federal jurisdiction, and does not on the face of it breach the Constitution. It is not similar to any private member's bill on the order paper and is not similar to any government bill on the order paper.
11:40 a.m.
Committee Researcher
The next bill is Bill C-504, An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (volunteer firefighters). It would amend the Canada Labour Code so as to prohibit reprisals against volunteer firefighters who have to leave their workplace. This would of course apply to workplaces under federal jurisdiction. The bill does not bear on matters that are not of federal jurisdiction, does not clearly breach the Canadian Constitution, and no similar private member's bill is presently on the order paper. Moreover, no comparable government bill is currently on the order paper.
October 24th, 2013 / 11:40 a.m.
Committee Researcher
The next bill, Bill C-520, An Act Supporting Non-Partisan Agents of Parliament, would require that agents of Parliament and their employees make certain declarations during the hiring process and while they work for Parliament. The bill may be too broad because all of the employees would be obliged to make declarations no matter what their position. The criterion is to determine whether this clearly breaches the Constitution.
We are at the beginning of the legislative process. The committee entrusted with studying this bill could eventually examine that. The bill involves matters of federal jurisdiction, does not seem to clearly breach the Constitution, and there is no similar private member's bill currently on the order paper. Moreover, there is no comparable government bill currently on the order paper.
11:40 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Dave MacKenzie
I think what he's saying is that the merits of the bill will be debated in committee.
Is everyone satisfied?
The next one is most important.
11:40 a.m.
Conservative
11:40 a.m.
Committee Researcher
It doesn't meet any of the criteria.
These are proposed amendments to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, aimed at restricting the power of institutional heads to authorize accompanied temporary absences for offenders convicted of first or second degree murder.
It would no longer be the director but the board that would be authorized to give that permission.
This bill does not concern questions outside of federal jurisdiction. It does not appear to clearly violate the constitution. There is no similar bill currently on the order paper on this subject, and there is no government bill currently on the order paper on this subject.
11:40 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Dave MacKenzie
It's votable.
Thank you. That ends our discussion on these bills.
Now I need two motions adopted. The first is “That the subcommittee present a report listing the items which it has determined should not be designated non-votable and recommending that they be considered by the House.”
(Motion agreed to)
The next one is, “That the chair report the subcommittee findings to the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs as soon as possible.”
(Motion agreed to)
The chair of the PROC committee is sitting here so I guess we have almost reported it.
Thank you.
The meeting is adjourned.