THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS
EVIDENCE
OTTAWA, Tuesday, December 1, 2020
The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights met by videoconference this day at 10 a.m. [ET], pursuant to rule 12-13 of the Rules of the Senate, to organize the activities of the committee.
[English]
François Michaud, Clerk of the Committee: Honourable senators, as the clerk of your committee, it is my duty and my honour to preside over the election of a chair. I am now ready to receive a motion to that effect.
Senator Boyer: I would like to nominate Senator Ataullahjan for the chair.
Mr. Michaud: Thank you, Senator Boyer. Are there any other nominations for the chair? Seeing none, the Honourable Senator Boyer moves that the Honourable Senator Ataullahjan do take the chair of this committee. Are there any senators opposed to that motion? Seeing none, I declare the motion carried. Madam Chair, over to you.
Senator Salma Ataullahjan (Chair) in the chair.
The Chair: Good morning, colleagues. Thank you, Senator Boyer, for nominating me. We’ll now proceed to the election of the deputy chairs. We will need two deputy chairs, so I think it’s easier if we do both of those in one motion. Do we have any names from the floor?
Senator Pate: I nominate Senator Bernard and Senator Hartling as deputy chairs.
Senator Boyer: I also nominate Senators Hartling and Bernard.
The Chair: The Honourable Senator Pate has moved that the Honourable Senator Bernard and the Honourable Senator Hartling be the deputy chairs of the committee. If anyone has any objections, please say, “nay.” Hearing none, we will have Senator Bernard and Senator Hartling as the deputy chairs of this committee. Congratulations. I look forward to working with you.
Now we will move on to the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure. We will need someone to move this motion for us:
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of the chair, the deputy chairs and one other member of the committee, to be designated after the usual consultation; 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.
Senator Pate: So moved.
The Chair: Senator Pate has moved. Thank you.
Next motion that we have will be to publish the committee’s proceedings. It will be standard that we just publish our proceedings. I need someone to move that.
Senator Pate: So moved.
The Chair: Senator Pate has moved:
That the committee publish its proceedings.
Next we have the financial report. The motion reads:
That the committee adopt the draft first report, prepared in accordance with rule 12-26(2).
Senator Bernard: So moved.
The Chair: Thank you, Senator Bernard.
The next motion deals with research staff:
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.
May I have someone move that, please?
Senator Hartling: I’ll move.
The Chair: Thank you. So moved by Senator Hartling.
Next we have the authority to commit funds and certify accounts. The motion reads as follows:
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.
I need someone to move the motion.
Senator Boyer: So moved.
The Chair: Thank you, Senator Boyer.
Next we have the motion on travel:
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.
May I have someone move that?
Senator Ngo: So moved.
The Chair: Thank you, Senator Ngo.
We come to our ninth motion, which is delegation of members travelling on committee business:
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.
I need someone to move that.
Senator Pate: So moved.
The Chair: Thank you, Senator Pate. The next motion deals with travelling and living expenses of the witnesses:
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.
May I have someone move that?
Senator Ngo: So moved.
The Chair: Thank you, Senator Ngo.
The motion on communications is as follows:
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.
May I have someone move that, please?
That brings us to other business. Mr. Michaud, should I be asking for permission at this stage for the general order of reference?
Mr. Michaud: If you so wish, senator.
The Chair: Yes.
Mr. Michaud: If I may, it was distributed about 15 minutes ago by email to all members.
The Chair: Did everyone see the general order of reference? Do I have your permission to report to the Senate?
Senator Ngo: I haven’t received it yet.
The Chair: You have not received it yet? It was sent about 15 minutes ago. Maybe I should just read it out so everyone knows what it is. It’s the general order of reference:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights be authorized to examine and monitor issues relating to human rights and, inter alia, to review the machinery of government dealing with Canada’s international and national human rights obligations;
That the committee submit its final report to the Senate no later than September 30, 2023.
Senator Ngo: So moved.
The Chair: Thank you, Senator Ngo.
We come to the final item, other business. Is there any other business any senator would like to raise? Seeing none, I guess that’s it.
That was relatively painless and, in the end, everyone’s microphone and everything worked. I look forward to working with all of you. I know it’s a grey day throughout Canada, but have a good day, everyone. I look forward to seeing some of you later this afternoon. Thank you.
(The committee adjourned.)