Evidence of meeting #1 for Status of Women in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
I don't mean to kill your happy day, but I do want to offer an amendment.
NDP
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
It's just to change it to the following:
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 the unanimous consent of the committee;
That all votes taken in camera, with the exception of votes regarding the consideration of draft reports, be recorded in the Minutes of Proceedings, including how each member voted when recorded votes are requested;
The rationale for this is that we've seen in previous Parliaments that the government has tried to move committee meetings in camera to force difficult issues and votes behind closed doors and to avoid public scrutiny.
I think the public has a right to know what we are doing in these meetings. Even in minority Parliaments in which the government could not act unilaterally, there were times when this was attempted, and as a consequence valuable committee time ended up being wasted in debating this. That's the second reason.
The third reason is that there's value in setting out parameters at the front end of routine motions that specify when in camera meetings can take place, so it's for the purposes of clarity. Otherwise, we may be in a situation where the work of the committee can be wasted in debating different attempts to have things put in camera. It's a big waste of time, so I'd like to put forward that amendment.
Thank you very much.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
I'm going to make one note that was brought to me by the clerk, which is just to inform you that when it comes to this, anything that is done in camera remains confidential at all times. The voting record and how you voted would be the only thing that would be available.
Is there any further discussion?
I hear no further discussion.
May we have a recorded vote, please, Clerk?
The Clerk
Could I ask you just to repeat the beginning of the motion? I'm sorry, but I couldn't hear.
NDP
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
It reads:
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 the unanimous consent of the committee;
That all votes taken in camera, with the exception of votes regarding the consideration of draft reports, be recorded in 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.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
We're going to do a recorded vote, if there are no questions or comments on that.
In the second portion, you added the line that reads, “That any motion to sit in camera is debatable and amendable.” That is actually out of order in procedure. The motion is out of order with that line specifically.
Go ahead, Leah.
NDP
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Can I please amend my motion, then, to include everything but the last sentence?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
It would be through a brand new motion, and you would just subtract that line?
Conservative
NDP
NDP
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Okay, we'll try it again. I move:
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 the unanimous consent of the committee;
That all votes taken in camera, with the exception of votes regarding the consideration of draft reports, be recorded in the Minutes of Proceedings, including how each member voted when recorded votes are requested.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
Thank you very much. We'll go on to our recorded vote.
(Amendment negatived: nays 9; yeas 1)
Are we agreed on the main motion?
(Motion agreed to)
Carry on, Marc.
Liberal
Marc Serré Liberal Nickel Belt, ON
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Regarding transcripts, I move:
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.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
Are there any questions or comments on this motion?
(Motion agreed to)
I believe we turn to the back of the page.
Liberal
Marc Serré Liberal Nickel Belt, ON
The next routine motion deals with notices of motion.
That 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 nonbusiness 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.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
Thank you very much.
Are there any questions or comments on that motion?
(Motion agreed to)
Please continue, Marc.
Liberal
Marc Serré Liberal Nickel Belt, ON
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I move:
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.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
Are there any questions or comments on the motion?
(Motion agreed to)
We'll go on to the next motion, Marc.
Liberal
Marc Serré Liberal Nickel Belt, ON
For technical tests for witnesses, I move:
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.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
Are there any questions or comments on this motion?
(Motion agreed to)
Finally, Marc, go ahead.
Liberal
Marc Serré Liberal Nickel Belt, ON
This is the last one on the page, Madam Chair. I move:
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.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
Are there any questions or comments?
(Motion agreed to)
Fantastic. After considering all the routine motions, does the committee wish to discuss any future business at this time?
Ms. Larouche, you have the floor.