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THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS

EVIDENCE

OTTAWA, Monday, December 13, 2021

The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights met with videoconference this day at 4 p.m. [ET], pursuant to rule 12-13 of the Rules of the Senate , to organize the activities of the committee.

[ English ]

Daniel Charbonneau, Clerk of the Committee: As clerk of the committee, it is my duty to preside over the election of the chair.

I am ready to receive a motion to that effect.

Senator Griffin: I would like to nominate Senator Ataullahjan for the position of chair.

Mr. Charbonneau: Are there any other nominations? Senators, first we will nominate the chair and then the deputy chair.

It is moved by the Honourable Senator Griffin:

That the Honourable Senator Ataullahjan do take the chair of this committee.

Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

Mr. Charbonneau: I declare the motion carried. I invite Senator Ataullahjan to take the chair.

Senator Salma Ataullahjan ( Chair ) in the chair

The Chair: Senators, I thank you for having the confidence in me to once again be chair of the Human Rights Committee. I have worked with most of you, and we do have a few newcomers. I welcome you, and I look forward to doing some of the important work that we have done in the past in this committee. I thank all of you for your support.

Moving right along, we’ll proceed with the election of the deputy chair. I’m ready to receive a motion to that effect.

Senator Gerba: I nominate the Honourable Senator Wanda Bernard as deputy chair of this committee.

The Chair: Are there any other nominations from the floor?

Senator Boyer: I would like to nominate Senator Hartling.

Senator Hartling: I don’t think that the ISG was going to get a deputy chair on this committee. I think that’s where the confusion might be, that I would maybe get the steering position. I put forth for that and was acclaimed but not for deputy chair. I think deputy chair was to go to Senator Bernard’s group.

The Chair: Thank you, Senator Hartling. My understanding was that Senator Bernard was going to be the deputy chair. Otherwise we’re going into an election.

Senator Hartling: That’s fair. But I do want to be on steering again if I can. We can get to that later, just to clarify.

The Chair: The Honourable Senator Gerba has nominated Senator Bernard to be the deputy chair. Is it agreed, senators, that we adopt the motion? If no senators are opposed, then the motion is carried.

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Chair: Carried.

Now we have some routine motions to adopt. These are standard motions that are consistent with past practices. This is a motion to create a Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, known as the steering committee. For this session, it was agreed that all four parties and groups would have a representative on the steering committee.

Senator Omidvar moves:

That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of the chair, the deputy chair and two other members of the committee, to be designated after the usual consultations; and

That the subcommittee be empowered to make decisions on behalf of the committee with respect to its agenda, to invite witnesses, and to

schedule hearings.

I think you have the notes in front of you. Motion agreed.

Honourable senators, we have two members proposed for steering, Senator Griffin and Senator Hartling. Is everyone agreeable?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Chair: So it’s agreed. If no senators are opposed, the motion is carried.

I’m pleased to announce that Senator Griffin and Senator Hartling will be the two members on steering. Thank you.

Moving to motion 4. Senator Boyer moves:

That the committee publish its proceedings.

If no senators are opposed, the motion is carried.

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

The Chair: Thank you. Do I have a proposer for motion 5?

Senator Martin moves:

That the committee ask the Library of Parliament to assign analysts to the committee;

That the chair be authorized to seek authority from the Senate to engage the services of such counsel and technical, clerical, and other personnel as may be necessary for the purpose of the committee’s examination and consideration of such bills, subject-matters of bills, and estimates as are referred to it;

That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be authorized to retain the services of such experts as may be required by the work of the committee; and

That the chair, on behalf of the committee, direct the research staff in the preparation of studies, analyses, summaries, and draft reports.

If no senators are opposed, the motion is carried. I would like to welcome our new analysts, Robert Mason and Martin McCallum, to the committee.

Do I have someone to move motion 6?

Senator Griffin moves:

That, pursuant to

section 7,

chapter 3:05 of the Senate Administrative Rules , authority to commit funds be conferred individually on the chair, the deputy chairs, and the clerk of the committee;

That, pursuant to

section 8,

chapter 3:05 of the Senate Administrative Rules , authority for certifying accounts payable by the committee be conferred individually on the chair, the deputy chairs, and the clerk of the committee; and

That, notwithstanding the foregoing, in cases related to consultants and personnel services, the authority to commit funds and certify accounts be conferred jointly on the chair and deputy chair.

Is it agreed that senators adopt the motion? If no senators are opposed, then the motion is carried.

Motion 7 pertains to travel. Senator Boyer moves:

That the committee empower the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure to designate, as required, one or more members of the committee and/or such staff as may be necessary to travel on assignment on behalf of the committee.

Thank you. Is it agreed that senators adopt the motion? If no senators are opposed, the motion is carried.

Motion 8 is next. Senator Hartling moves:

That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be authorized to:

1) determine whether any member of the committee is on “official business” for the purposes of paragraph 8(3)(

a) of the Senators Attendance Policy, published in the Journals of the Senate on Wednesday, June 3, 1998; and

2) consider any member of the committee to be on “official business” if that member is: (

a) attending an event or meeting related to the work of the committee; or (

b) making a presentation related to the work of the committee; and

That the subcommittee report at the earliest opportunity any decisions taken with respect to the designation of members of the committee travelling on committee business.

Is it agreed that senators adopt the motion? If no senators are opposed, then the motion is carried.

Motion 9 is next. Senator Griffin moves:

That, pursuant to the Senate guidelines for witness expenses, the committee may reimburse reasonable travelling and living expenses of one witness per organization upon application, but that the chair be authorized to approve expenses of a second witness from the same organization should there be exceptional circumstances.

Is it agreed that senators adopt the motion? If no senators are opposed, the motion is carried.

The next is Motion 10. Senator Martin moves:

That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be empowered to direct communications officer(

s) assigned to the committee in the development of communications plans and products where appropriate and to request the services of the Senate Communications Directorate for the purposes of the promotion of their work; and

That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be empowered to allow coverage by electronic media of the committee’s public proceedings with the least possible disruption of its proceedings, at its discretion.

Is it agreed that senators adopt the motion? If no senators are opposed, then the motion is carried.

I welcome Michael Forian, our communications officer, to the committee.

We have now completed the adoption of the routine motions. We are now at the stage of discussing other business.

First, the weekly time slot in the

schedule proposed by the Selection Committee and adopted by the Senate on December 7, 2021, is that the Human Rights Committee will meet on Mondays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

If there is no further business, then we can adjourn the meeting.

Senator Omidvar: Thank you, chair. I’m very happy to be back on this committee, and I remember the great work we did on various studies. Since I have been away from it for four years, I want to understand the procedure and process you will use to view proposals from senators on studies.

The Chair: Unless we get a bill that’s referred to us, the way the Human Rights Committee has worked — and Mr. Charbonneau can correct me if I’m wrong — is that we ask all senators to propose studies, and then we do it the democratic way. As senators, we vote on it, and then we decide which study we want to do. Generally, we do a study first, and then there will be a second one, a third one if there’s time. That’s the way it has worked in the past, and I’m hoping we can continue that process.

Senator Omidvar: I welcome that response. May I assume then that this is the last week we’re sitting, likely, and that you will ask for proposals for studies in February?

The Chair: Correct, Senator Omidvar. We will because we’ll have a regular meeting, and we’ll ask all the senators. In the meantime, I know you don’t want to be thinking of work, but it might be a good time to think about where you would like to see the Human Rights Committee go. I would welcome any suggestions.

Senator Omidvar: Thank you, chair.

The Chair: Is there anything else? Thank you, senators. I look forward to seeing you, and welcome. This is a very important committee, and I really hope that we can do some very meaningful work as we have in the past. I thank all of you and I thank the staff. The meeting is adjourned.

(The committee adjourned.)

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