Evidence of meeting #31 for Public Safety and National Security in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was business.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
If we are dealing with specifically future business, we would have to move into that. If it's simply committee business, there isn't a need to be in camera. You would assume that you were public unless you had a motion to go in camera.
So I see a difference between committee business and future business. We're going to be discussing only the agenda.
Has it been the practice of the committee to do that only in camera?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
That's been the practice? But it's not the....
Unless there's a motion to go in camera, there is nothing in any standing order.
Liberal
Conservative
Dave MacKenzie Conservative Oxford, ON
Well, Mr. Chair, with all due respect, I think if we went back to the beginning of the last session, we simply moved in this manner, but it came from Mr. Holland. So what we are doing is following the past practice of the committee, where Mr. Holland did exactly what we're attempting to do here--
Liberal
Mark Holland Liberal Ajax—Pickering, ON
On a point of order, it was in camera, and you can't discuss the proceedings of an in camera meeting. Frankly, you're making my point.
Mr. Chair, on that same point of order, there has to be a decision to move to future business before you can deal with future business and before you can start entertaining motions. That has not occurred.
Mr. MacKenzie is now talking about things that happened in camera, which only furthers my point, and I would remind him it's not to be done.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Mr. MacKenzie, would you choose to make a motion to go to future business?
Liberal
Marlene Jennings Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC
Mr. Chair, I guess this is a point of order regarding a point of order.
The way I understand the rules is that in a point of order, you cannot make a motion.
Liberal
Liberal
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
He did his point of order. Mr. MacKenzie has made a motion to move to future business.
Liberal
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
No, you can't do that in a point of order. Mr. Holland couldn't draw a point of order and then make a motion out of his point of order.
We do have a motion from Mr. MacKenzie to move to future business, and then, if you choose, I will make a.... You want to have a motion on going in camera.
Mr. MacKenzie.
Conservative
Dave MacKenzie Conservative Oxford, ON
Mr. Chair, I think it's appropriate at this time that we attempt to at least deal with the country's business, with Parliament's business. So to move into future business is appropriate. We do have a lot of stuff on the agenda, and we shouldn't be wasting time today.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Do you want to make it part of your motion that we go in camera?
Conservative
Dave MacKenzie Conservative Oxford, ON
No, I don't. I think the public should be aware of what is there.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
All right.
So we have a motion, first of all, to go to future business, and then I'll entertain Mark's motion.
Are we all in favour, or is there any debate on that?
(Motion agreed to)
It's carried unanimously.
Mr. Holland, on the in camera.
Liberal
Mark Holland Liberal Ajax—Pickering, ON
My motion is to go in camera. I just say that in order to deal with future business, which includes any discussion of witnesses, we have to be in camera. We can't just talk about the calendar without talking about future business. We have always done it this way. I don't know what the purpose is in doing it some other way.
On that basis, I give you the motion.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Thank you.
We have a motion now to move to in camera to discuss future business.
Mr. MacKenzie.