Public Safety Committee on Dec. 6th, 2016

[The Chair (Mr. Robert Oliphant (Don Valley West, Lib.)), Liberal, Rob Oliphant]

Good afternoon, members of the committee, witnesses, and officials who are here to help us as we continue, pursuant to the order of reference of Tuesday, October 4, 2016, our consideration of Bill C-22, an act to establish the national security and intelligence committee of parliamentarians and to make consequential amendments to certain acts.

We welcome Mr. Sutherland, Ms. Sheehy, and Ms. Miles from the Privy Council Office, and Mr. Davies and others who are with us.

Welcome, as well, to Madam May, who is joining us today.

We're continuing consideration of the bill at clause 17. As we did last week, we will proceed relatively slowly. I'm not going to repeat the instructions that I gave at the start of the bill consideration. If anyone needs any time to sort anything out, please do ask the chair for a motion to suspend, and we'll certainly entertain that accordingly.

(On clause 17)

Are there amendments to clause 17?

Mr. Clement.

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

I have an amendment, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Rob Oliphant]

Mr. Clement moves amendment CPC-9 to clause 17.

Would you like to comment on that?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

It's actually kind of funny. I was subbed in to the justice committee last week, and they were doing clause-by-clause study that day for the genetic discrimination bill. There were only two amendments, so I felt lonely and strange.

[The Chair, Liberal, Rob Oliphant]

That was a very fine bill, I understand.

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

We will see after the Senate, I'm sure.

In any event, CPC-9 is a small amendment. This came pursuant to some of the testimony we heard that perhaps there should be some reference to a quorum requirement for the committee. It basically says that at the first meeting it would be up to the committee to establish that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Rob Oliphant]

Are there any other comments or questions?

Mr. Dubé.

[Matthew Dubé, NDP, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Chair, I support Mr. Clement's amendment, but I would propose a subamendment, if I may.

[The Chair, Liberal, Rob Oliphant]

Yes.

[Matthew Dubé, NDP, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

After the word “schedule”, I propose adding the words “and quorum requirements”.

[The Chair, Liberal, Rob Oliphant]

The subamendment is that following the word “schedule” in the third line of the amendment adding the words “and quorum requirements”.

[Matthew Dubé, NDP, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

That's correct.

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

That's actually what I was intending to amend.

[The Chair, Liberal, Rob Oliphant]

Is there any discussion on the subamendment?

Seeing none, I will call the question first on the subamendment.

(Subamendment negatived)

[Dianne Lynn Watts, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Could I just get some clarification? What this is basically saying now is that the chair can hold a meeting all by himself or herself.

[The Chair, Liberal, Rob Oliphant]

I would ask the officials to comment, or anyone on the committee if you would like to.

[Nancy Miles, Senior Legal Counsel, Privy Council Office]

Right now, it states that the committee is to meet at the call of the chair. That really just means that the chair will call the meetings of the committee.

[Dianne Lynn Watts, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

I understand that, but now there's no quorum. If the chair calls a meeting and nobody shows up, the chair can basically have a meeting by himself or herself because there are no guidelines for a quorum or anybody else needing to be there.

[Nancy Miles]

I thought there was provision later on that indicates they may determine the procedure to be followed in the exercise of their powers, so they do have the ability to set the quorum once they meet.

[Dianne Lynn Watts, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

What clause would that be under?

[Nancy Miles]

That's clause 20.

[Dianne Lynn Watts, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Mr. Chair, with the greatest of respect, it doesn't have that provision in there.

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

I would like to read into the record, Chair, for the purposes of this committee and its record, that the response from Nancy indicates that quorum could be a topic of conversation at the meeting of the committee.

[The Chair, Liberal, Rob Oliphant]

Okay.

Is there any other discussion now on the amendment?

(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])

(Clause 17 agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings]

Moving to clause 18, there are no amendments which have been submitted.

(Clause 18 agreed to)

(On clause 19)

Mr. Spengemann.

[Sven Spengemann, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment to clause 19. I will read it and then move it. We have it in writing in both official languages.

The motion is that Bill C-22 in clause 19 be amended by replacing lines 8 and 9 on page 8 with the following, “only in the case of a tie.” So the amended clause would read, “The Chair may vote at meetings of the Committee only in the case of a tie”.