Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources
Issue 1 - Minutes of Proceedings
OTTAWA, Wednesday, October 23, 2002
(1)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, Environment and Natural Resources met at 5:15 p.m. this day, in room 257, East Block, for the purpose of holding its organization meeting, pursuant to Rule 88.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Baker, P.C., Banks, Buchanan, P.C., Christensen, Cochrane, Kenny, Spivak, and Watt (8).
In attendance: From the Library of Parliament: Lynne Myers, Researcher, Science and Technology Division.
Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.
Election of Chair
Pursuant to rule 88, the Clerk of the Committee presides over the election of the Chair.
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Cochrane, —
That the Honourable Senator Banks be Chair of this Committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was agreed.
Election of Deputy Chair
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Banks, —
That the Honourable Senator Spivak be Deputy Chair of this committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was agreed.
Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Spivak, —
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of the Chair, the Deputy Chair and the Honourable Senator Kenny; and
That the Subcommittee be empowered to make decisions on behalf of the committee with respect to its agenda, to invite witnesses and schedule hearings.
The question being put on the motion, it was agreed.
Motion to print the Committee's Proceedings
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Christensen, —
That the committee print its proceedings; and
That the Chair be authorized to set this number to meet demand.
The question being put on the motion, it was agreed.
Authorization to hold meetings, to print evidence when quorum is not present
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Watt, —
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 member of the committee of the government and the opposition be present.
The question being put on the motion, it was agreed.
Financial Report
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Kenny, —
That, pursuant to rule 104, the Chair be authorized to report expenses incurred by the committee during the last session.
The question being put on the motion, it was agreed.
Research Staff
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Cochrane, —
That the Chair, on behalf of 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.
The question being put on the motion, it was agreed.
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Kenny, —
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 agreed.
Authority to commit funds and certify accounts
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Baker, —
That, pursuant to section 32 of the Financial Administration Act, authority to commit funds be conferred on the Chair, the Deputy Chair and the Clerk of the Commitee; 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 on the Chair, the Deputy Chair, and the Clerk of the Committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was agreed.
Travel
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Spivak, —
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 agreed.
Designation of Members
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Christensen, —
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 question being put on the motion, it was agreed.
Travelling and living expenses of witnesses
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Buchanan, —
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 question being put on the motion, it was agreed.
Electronic media coverage of public meetings
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Spivak, —
That the Chair be authorized to seek authority from the Senate to permit coverage by electronic media of the committee's 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.
After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was agreed.
Special Study
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Spivak, —
That the committee authorize the Chair to seek a general mandate from the Senate to study issues relating to energy, the environment, and natural resources generally.
The question being put on the motion, it was agreed.
Time slot for regular meetings
The Chair informed the committee that the time slots for its meetings are when the Senate rises but not before 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday afternoons and 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Thursday mornings.
At 5:30, the committee continued the meeting on future business in camera.
At 5:51 p.m., it was agreed that the committee adjourn to the call of the Chair.
ATTEST:
Josée Thérien
Clerk of the Committee