Status of Women Committee on Oct. 13th, 2020

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

I should mention that the amendment comes from the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Please go ahead, Ms. Larouche.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

I'd like to move the amendment that comes from the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs. I'm referring to the new motion that was adopted, not to the standard version.

[The Clerk]

I believe Ms. Mathyssen may have had her hand up.

[Lindsay Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Yes, Madam Chair, I thought I had the floor. Do I have the floor now?

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Yes, please go ahead.

[Lindsay Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

There have been changes made by the PROC committee, so I would like to make the following suggestions, so that the motion would read:

That witnesses be given five (5) minutes for their opening statement; that whenever possible, witnesses provide the committee with their opening statements 72 hours in advance; that, at the discretion of the Chair, during the questioning of witnesses, there be allocated six (6) minutes for the first questioner of each party as follows: Round 1: Conservative Party, Liberal Party, Bloc Québécois, New Democratic Party. For the second and subsequent rounds, the order and time for questioning be as follows: Conservative Party, five (5) minutes, Liberal Party, five (5) minutes, Bloc Québécois, two and a half (2.5) minutes, New Democratic Party, two and a half (2.5) minutes, Conservative Party, five (5) minutes, Liberal Party, five (5) minutes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Excellent. That is the amended motion. Basically, it would provide less time for the witnesses at the start—five minutes instead of 10. It would also require their opening statements 72 hours in advance so that we'd have a chance to look at them. Round one would remain the same, with six minutes each; and then the order of the second round would change, but the time allocations would remain the same: Conservative, Liberal, Bloc Québécois, NDP, Conservative, Liberal.

Is there any further discussion on the amendment?

(Amendment agreed to)

(Motion as amended agreed to)

The next one is the motion regarding document distribution:

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

Is there discussion on this motion?

(Motion agreed to)

The next one has to do with working meals, my favourite subject:

That the clerk of the committee be authorized to make the necessary arrangements to provide working meals for the committee and its subcommittees.

Is there discussion on this motion?

Ms. Hutchings.

[Gudie Hutchings, Liberal, Long Range Mountains, NL]

It's nice to add a little humour, Madam Chair.

Congratulations on being chair. I know you're going to do a great job, Marilyn.

We'd better order weeks in advance because we have meals to deliver on the east coast and we have meals to deliver on the west coast. Because of the fact that we are meeting by Zoom, I think we can just park this one for now, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Yes.

Ms. Mathyssen.

[Lindsay Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

According to the changes made at PROC, at the end of the original motion, the following words were added, “provided the member has confirmed their presence for the meeting.” If we decide to have in-person meetings or hybrid meetings, that change could also be specified within our motion. I'd like to move that change.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

I think that's an excellent amendment because it does then say that, if people have said they're coming to Ottawa, then there can be meals organized.

Is there any other discussion?

(Amendment agreed to)

(Motion as amended agreed to)

The next motion is on 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; provided that, in exceptional circumstances, payment for more representatives be made at the discretion of the Chair, and that video conference services be used [wherever] possible.

Is there any discussion on this motion?

As the chair, I have a question, and maybe the clerk can answer it. In this time of COVID, if we're going to be having hybrid meetings where most of us will be on Zoom, it would be my preference that witnesses also appear on Zoom. Even though it doesn't expressly say that in the motion, is that allowed, or is that something we should amend in the motion?

[The Clerk]

It is understood that witnesses will only be allowed to participate virtually.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Excellent. Is there any further discussion on this motion?

(Motion agreed to)

We're just flying through these. The next one is on access to in camera meetings:

That, unless otherwise ordered, each committee member be allowed to have one staff member at an in camera meeting and that one additional person from each House officer's office be allowed to be present.

Is there discussion on this motion?

(Motion agreed to)

The next one is—

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Madam Chair, can I speak on this next one, please?

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Absolutely. I will read it first. It is with regard to 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.

Mr. Serré.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Madam Chair, I thought that we were at the next item. I'll put my name on the list for the next item on the agenda.

I apologize for that, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

There's no problem; you're good for that one.

Is there any discussion on the motion on the transcripts of in camera meetings?

(Motion agreed to)

Here we come to notice of motions:

That a 48 hours' notice, interpreted as two nights, shall be required for any substantive motion to be considered by the committee, unless the substantive motion relates directly to business then under consideration, provided that (1) the notice be filed with the clerk of the committee no later than 4:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday, that (2) the motion be distributed to members 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, and that (3) 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 travelling on official business, no substantive motions may be moved.

Go ahead, Monsieur Serré.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Sorry, Madam Chair, for not being clear. I thought we were moving to the next item on the agenda about the study, I apologize.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Okay, that's no problem; it's my misunderstanding.

This one is about giving notice of orders of motion. It basically says that if we're talking about something and the motion has to do with what we're talking about, then it can be entertained. Otherwise, it must be given 48 hours' notice. We can't do it if we're going to travel, but don't worry, because we're probably not going to travel.

Is there any discussion on the motion?

(Motion agreed to)

The next motion is on orders of reference from the House respecting bills:

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.

Is there any discussion on this motion?

(Motion agreed to)

There is another routine motion, this one on other in camera meetings:

That any motion to go in camera should be debatable and amendable, and that the committee may only meet in camera for the following purposes: (a) to discuss administrative matters of the committee, including the selection and consideration of witnesses; (b) a draft report; (c) briefings concerning national security; (d) to ensure the protection of privacy of individuals; And furthermore, minutes of in camera meetings should reflect on the results of all votes taken by the committee while in camera, including how each member voted when a recorded vote is requested.

Is there any discussion on this motion?

(Motion agreed to)

Very good, now we are finished with the routine motions.

Monsieur Serré, I believe you had a topic to raise.

Ms. Sidhu.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Madam Chair, I want clarification. It's the same motion, but I would like to add one point: That the committee may meet in camera only for the following purposes: (a) to consider a draft report; (b) to attend briefings concerning national security; (c) to consider lists of witnesses; (d) for any other reason with unanimous consent of the committee; that all votes taken in camera, with the exception of votes regarding the consideration of draft reports, be recorded within the minutes of proceedings, including how each member voted when recorded votes are requested; that any motion to sit in camera is debatable and amendable.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

This is an amendment to what we just voted on, so I think we—

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

This is a routine motion added on.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Let me refer to the clerk. We just voted on what we were going to allow for in in camera voting. Can we amend the motion that we already voted on, or do we have to put it as a separate one?

[The Clerk]

It appears to me that this is the same content. However, there is an addition that Ms. Sidhu wishes to add. I did hear her add a section on considering motions at the discretion of the committee.

Is that what you're saying, Ms. Sidhu? You wanted to make an amendment in that respect?