Public Accounts Committee on Dec. 16th, 2021

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

Is there any debate on this motion?

Seeing none, are we all agreed?

(Motion agreed to)

[Valerie Bradford, Liberal, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

The next motion deals with meeting without a quorum:

That the Chair be authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence and to have that evidence published when a quorum is not present, provided that at least four members are present, including two members of the opposition parties and two members of the government party, but when travelling outside the Parliamentary Precinct, that the meeting begin after 15 minutes, regardless of members present.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

Are there any debates?

(Motion agreed to)

[Valerie Bradford, Liberal, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

The next motion is with respect to time for opening remarks and questioning of witnesses:

That witnesses be given five minutes for their opening statement; that whenever possible, witnesses provide the committee with their opening statement 72 hours in advance; that at the discretion of the Chair, during the questioning of witnesses, there be allocated six minutes for the first questioner of each party as follows for the first round: Conservative Party, Liberal Party, Bloc Québécois, and New Democratic Party. For the second and subsequent rounds, the order and time for questioning be as follows: Conservative Party, five minutes; Liberal Party, five minutes; Bloc Québécois, two and a half minutes; New Democratic Party, two and a half minutes; Conservative Party, five minutes; Liberal Party, five minutes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

Is there any debate on this motion?

Are we agreed?

(Motion agreed to)

[Valerie Bradford, Liberal, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

The next motion deals with document distribution:

That only the clerk of the committee be authorized to distribute documents to members of the Committee provided the documents are in both official languages, and that the witnesses be advised accordingly.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

Are there any comments?

(Motion adopted)

[Valerie Bradford, Liberal, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

The next motion deals with working meals:That the clerk of the committee, at the discretion of the Chair, be authorized to make the necessary arrangements to provide working meals for the committee and its subcommittees.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

Is there any debate?

(Motion agreed to)

[Valerie Bradford, Liberal, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

The next motion deals with travel, accommodation and the living expenses of witnesses: That, if requested, reasonable travel, accommodation and living expenses be reimbursed to witnesses not exceeding two representatives per organization; and that in exceptional circumstances, payment for more representatives be made at the discretion of the Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

I don't see any debate. Are we all agreed?

(Motion agreed to)

[Valerie Bradford, Liberal, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

The next motion deals with access to in camera meetings: That, unless otherwise ordered, each committee member be allowed to be accompanied by one staff member at in camera meetings and that one additional person from each House officer's office be allowed to be present.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

Is there any debate? Are we agreed?

(Motion agreed to)

[Valerie Bradford, Liberal, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

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 or by their staff; and that the analysts assigned to the committee also have access to the in camera transcripts.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

Is there any debate? Are we all agreed?

(Motion agreed to)

[Valerie Bradford, Liberal, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

The next motion deals with notices of motions: That a 48-hour notice, interpreted as two nights, be required for any substantive motion to be moved in committee, unless the substantive motion relates directly to business then under consideration, provided that: (a) the notice be filed with the clerk of the committee no later than 4:00 pm from Monday to Friday; (b) the motion be distributed to Members and the offices of the whips of each recognized party in both official languages by the clerk on the same day the said notice was transmitted if it was received no later than the deadline hour; (c) notices received after the deadline hour or on non-business days be deemed to have been received during the next business day; and that when the committee is holding meetings outside the Parliamentary Precinct, no substantive motion may be moved.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

Is there any debate? Are we agreed?

(Motion agreed to)

[Valerie Bradford, Liberal, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

The next motion reads:That in relation to orders of reference from the House respecting Bills,

(a) The clerk of the committee shall, upon the committee receiving such an order of reference, write to each member who is not a member of a caucus represented on the committee to invite those members to file with the clerk of the committee, in both official languages, any amendments to the bill, which is the subject of the said Order, which they would suggest that the committee consider;

(b) Suggested amendments filed, pursuant to paragraph (a), at least 48 hours prior to the start of clause-by-clause consideration of the bill to which the amendments relate shall be deemed to be proposed during the said consideration, provided that the committee may, by motion, vary this deadline in respect of a given bill; and

(c) During the clause-by-clause consideration of a bill, the Chair shall allow a member who filed suggested amendments, pursuant to paragraph (a), an opportunity to make brief representations in support of them.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

Is there any debate? Are we agreed?

(Motion agreed to)

[Valerie Bradford, Liberal, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

The next motion deals with technical tests for witnesses:That the clerk inform each witness who is to appear before the committee that the House administration support team must conduct technical tests to check the connectivity and the equipment used to ensure the best possible sound quality; and that the Chair advise the committee, at the start of each meeting, of any witness who did not perform the required technical tests.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

Is there any debate? Are we agreed?

(Motion agreed to)

[Valerie Bradford, Liberal, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

The next motion deals with linguistic review:That all documents submitted for committee business that do not come from a federal department, members' offices, or that have not been translated by the Translation Bureau be sent for prior linguistic review by the Translation Bureau before being distributed to members.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

Are there any debates?

(Motion adopted)

I have been told by the clerk that there are two more routine motions that this committee usually passes, and they were distributed.

Again, as your chair, I can't move motions. These deal with committee chair and staff authorization and detailed action plans to address recommendations. If there are members who wish to move these motions, hopefully you've read them and might consider moving them. If it's the will of the committee, we don't have to.

[Brenda Shanahan, Liberal, Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC]

Would you mind reading out the two additional motions?

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

Well, I can't move a motion.