Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Aboriginal Peoples
Issue 1 - Evidence
OTTAWA, Tuesday, November 23, 1999
The Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples met this day at 9:05 a.m. to organize the activities of the committee.
[English]
Ms Jill Anne Joseph, Clerk of the Committee: Honourable senators, I see a quorum. As clerk of the committee, it is my role to oversee the election of the Chair. Are there any motions to that effect?
Senator Pearson: I move that the Honourable Senator Watt be Chair of the committee.
Ms Joseph: There being no other motions, is it agreed, honourable senators, that the Honourable Senator Watt be Chair of the committee?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
Ms Joseph: The motion is carried. I invite Senator Watt to take the Chair.
Senator Charlie Watt (Chairman) in the Chair.
The Chairman: I will entertain a motion for deputy chair.
Senator DeWare: I move that the Honourable Senator St. Germain be Deputy Chair. He has agreed to that, although he is not here today.
The Chairman: Is it agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: The motion is carried.
I would entertain the following motion:
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of the Chair, the Deputy Chair and one other member of the Committee to be designated after the usual consultation;
That the Subcommittee be empowered to make decisions on behalf of the Committee with respect to its agenda, to invite witnesses and schedule hearings; and
That the Subcommittee report its decisions to the Committee.
Senator Austin: Have you consulted with respect to a third member of the committee?
The Chairman: Yes, I have, and that will be the Honourable Senator Landon Pearson.
Senator Austin: I so move.
The Chairman: Is it agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: The motion is carried.
I would entertain the following motion:
That the Committee print 250 copies of its proceedings and that the Chair be authorized to adjust this number to meet demand.
Senator Austin: I so move.
The Chairman: Is it agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: The motion is carried.
Senator Austin: I move:
That, pursuant to rule 89, the Chair be authorized to hold meetings, to receive and authorize the printing of the evidence when a quorum is not present, provided that a representative of the government and a representative from the opposition are present.
The Chairman: Honourable Senators, is it agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: The motion is carried.
Senator DeWare: I move:
That, pursuant to rule 104, the Chair be authorized to report expenses incurred by the Committee during the last session.
The Chairman: Is it agreed, honourable senators?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: The motion is carried.
Senator Austin: I move:
That the Committee ask the Library of Parliament to assign research officers 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 Chairman: Is it agreed, honourable senators?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: The motion is carried.
Senator Pearson: I move:
That, pursuant to section 32 of the Financial Administration Act, authority to commit funds be conferred on the Chair or, in the Chair's absence, the Deputy Chair; and
That, pursuant to section 34 of the Financial Administration Act, and Guideline 3:05 of Appendix II of the Rules of the Senate, authority for certifying accounts payable by the Committee be conferred individually on the Chair, the Deputy Chair, and the Clerk of the Committee.
The Chairman: Is it your pleasure to adopt the motion, honourable senators?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: The motion is carried.
Senator Pearson: I move:
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; and
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 a function, event or meeting related to the work of the Committee; or (b) making a presentation related to the work of the Committee.
The Chairman: Is it agreed, honourable senators?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: The motion is carried.
Senator Austin: I move:
That, pursuant to the Senate guidelines for witnesses' expenses, the committee may reimburse reasonable travelling and living expenses for one witness from any one organization and payment will take place upon application, but that the Chair be authorized to approve expenses for a second witness should there be exceptional circumstances.
The Chairman: I will ask the clerk to explain this change to us.
Ms. Joseph: We used to pay for more than one witness. We will now be permitted to pay for only one witness and, at the discretion of the Chairman, a second.
Hon. Senators: Is it agreed, honourable senators?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: The motion is carried.
Senator Gill: On the next motion, with regard to electronic coverage, how does this work?
Senator Austin: Under the rules, the Senate must approve electronic coverage. If we believe and the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure determines that there is public interest in a subject we are studying and we therefore want it televised, Senator Watt takes a motion to the Senate as a whole asking for permission. This authorizes Senator Watt to submit that motion.
Senator Chalifoux: I move:
That the Chair be authorized to seek permission from the Senate to permit coverage by electronic media of its public proceedings with the least possible disruption of its hearings; and
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be empowered to allow such coverage at its discretion.
The Chairman: Is it agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: The motion is carried.
I will ask the clerk to explain about the time slot for regular meetings.
Ms Joseph: We are scheduled to meet twice a week, at 9:00 on Tuesday mornings and at 5:45 on Wednesdays, in this room.
Senator Gill: Do all committees have to meet twice a week?
Ms Joseph: Some meet once a week.
The Chairman: We can also seek permission to sit while the Senate is still sitting.
Senator Austin: I believe 5:45 is 15 minutes before adjournment time. Do we need permission to sit then?
Ms Joseph: Not on Wednesdays. If you decide to sit on Tuesdays, you will need permission.
The Chairman: The committee will now proceed to future business of the committee in camera.
The committee continued in camera.