Senate Committee — RPRD — Minutes — 01mn-55341-e

RPRD / Minutes / 01mn-55341-e

Senate Committees

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OTTAWA, Monday, December 13, 2021 (1) [English] Pursuant to the order of the Senate of November 25, 2021, The Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament met this day in room C128, Senate of Canada Building, and by videoconference at 11:11 a.m [ET]., for the purpose of its organization, pursuant to rule 12-13. Members of the committee present by videoconference: The Honourable Senators Bellemare, Black, Boniface, Busson, Carignan, P.C., Clement, Cordy, Duncan, Greene, Housakos, Lankin, P.C., Massicotte, Mockler, Ringuette and Wells (15).

Participating in the meeting: Evelyne Côté, Procedural Clerk, Committee Directorate; Stephanie Feldman, Analyst, Library of Parliament; and Stav Nitka, Communications Officer, Senate Communications Directorate. The clerk of the committee presided over the election of the chair. The Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C., moved that the Honourable Senator Bellemare do take the chair of this committee. The question being put on the motion, it was adopted. The clerk invited the Honourable Senator Bellemare to take the chair. The chair made a statement. The chair presided over the election of the deputy chairs.

The Honourable Senator Boniface moved that the Honourable Senator Lankin, P.C., be deputy chair of this committee. The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The Honourable Senator Massicotte moved that the Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C., be deputy chair of this committee. The question being put on the motion, it was adopted. The deputy chairs each made a statement. The Honourable Senator Black moved: That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of the chair, the two deputy chairs and a fourth member 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. After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was adopted. The Honourable Senator Boniface moved that the committee publish its proceedings. The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The Honourable Senator Duncan moved: 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.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted. The Honourable Senator Massicotte moved: 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 chairs. After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The Honourable Senator Busson moved: 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. The question being put on the motion, it was adopted. The Honourable Senator Cordy moved: 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. The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The Honourable Senator Ringuette moved: 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. The question being put on the motion, it was adopted. The Honourable Senator Mockler moved:

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. The question being put on the motion, it was adopted. The committee discussed future business. At 11:27 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair. ATTEST: Adam Thompson Clerk of the committee

Document details

Collection	Senate Committees
Citation	RPRD / Minutes / 01mn-55341-e
Type	committee
Volume / chapter	441 / Minutes / 01mn-55341-e
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	COMM_SEN
Identifier	b782d2f6bc687639509874668aa12812c0c32994

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