Evidence of meeting #1 for Public Safety and National Security in the 39th Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was clerk.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
Maybe the clerk can help on this one, on the meals. I understand there was a limit to how many working meals you could have in a session. Was there? I don't know.
Conservative
Dave MacKenzie Conservative Oxford, ON
I think it was just to get them all similar across the board.
The next one was on witness expenses. I think all we did was ask that the committee, if requested, would reimburse the reasonable child care expenses of the witnesses. I don't think it exists today. So if we had someone here who had need for child care while they're attending here, this would authorize the payment of those expenses.
Liberal
Sue Barnes Liberal London West, ON
I think it would be better if the clerk clarified how many witnesses from each organization would come. That's more relevant to us. Sometimes it's two, right? Do we not offer witnesses reimbursement? Would they have to ask for it?
Conservative
Liberal
NDP
Penny Priddy NDP Surrey North, BC
I'm wondering if the folks who put this forward would consider family care as opposed to child care, because many people may have to have somebody look after an ailing spouse or parent; it's not necessarily only children. Perhaps that would be satisfactory.
Thank you.
Conservative
Dave MacKenzie Conservative Oxford, ON
Going back, I think the other one says one member from an organization, right, the existing one?
Conservative
Dave MacKenzie Conservative Oxford, ON
This is for travel and accommodation, number 7, witnesses' expenses.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
That travel, accommodation, and living expenses be reimbursed.
Liberal
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
Okay, that is a change.
Mr. Norlock brought this forward last time, and it was agreed to: that if requested, reasonable travel, accommodation, and living expenses be reimbursed to witnesses, not exceeding one representative per organization, and that in exceptional circumstances, payment for more representatives be made at the discretion of the chair. So we only allowed one, but we offered travel, accommodation, and living expenses.
Liberal
Ujjal Dosanjh Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Chair, motion number 5 in the existing rules says: “That...reasonable travel, accommodation, and living expenses be reimbursed to witnesses, not exceeding two per organization, and that in exceptional circumstances” more could be allowed.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
Yes. I don't think that what you're reading was the practice at the committee. This is just a suggestion made by....
The Clerk
The committee had adopted them. The one I just read is what the practice was at this committee.
Liberal
Ujjal Dosanjh Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Okay. But my sense is that two would be fine. I don't have a problem with going back to two. There are some organizations that—
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
Well, you could have two. But if you get a request from every organization for two, your budget will be shot very quickly. If you limit it to one, then in exceptional circumstances, which is what is said, we could have two. So it's protection for the budget that we have to work under.
Liberal
Ujjal Dosanjh Liberal Vancouver South, BC
That's fine. Anyway, these are all coming back on Tuesday, I'm assuming, so that we can talk about them.
November 13th, 2007 / 4:15 p.m.
Conservative
Dave MacKenzie Conservative Oxford, ON
I've just been informed that these have all come from other committees and Marleau and Montpetit. It's not just that somebody came up with the idea; they are a collection of best practices, if you will, from other committees in the House.
