ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS — The Senate
Motion in Relation to Committee Membership Adopted
March 11, 2020
Honourable senators, with leave of the Senate and notwithstanding rule 5-5(j), I move:
That, for the remainder of the current session, and notwithstanding any provision of the Rules or usual practice:
1.the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence have a membership of twelve senators, other than the ex officio members, provided that if the Senate has adopted a report of the Committee of Selection nominating the members to serve on the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence before the adoption of this order, the Committee of Selection be authorized to present a new report to nominate the three additional members to serve on the committee;
2.except in the case of the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators:
(a)except as provided in sub-paragraph (b), if a senator ceases to be a member of a particular recognized party or recognized parliamentary group for any reason, he or she simultaneously cease to be a member of any committee of which he or she is then a member, with the resulting vacancy to be filled by the leader or facilitator of the party or group to which the senator had belonged, following the processes established in rule 12-5;
(b)if a senator ceases to be a member of a recognized party or recognized parliamentary group because that party or group ceases to exist, he or she remain a member of any committee of which he or she was a member, subject to the provisions of sub-paragraph (c); and
(c)if a non-affiliated senator joins a recognized party or recognized parliamentary group, he or she thereby cease to be a member of any committee of which he or she is then a member, with the resulting vacancy to be filled either by order of the Senate or the adoption by the Senate of a report of the Committee of Selection;
3.the following committees be empowered to elect two deputy chairs:
(a)the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration;
(b)the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament;
(c)the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade; and
(d)the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence;
4.if a committee has elected two deputy chairs:
(a)the reference to the deputy chair in rule 12-18(2)(b)(ii) be understood as referring to both deputy chairs of that committee acting together;
(b)the reference to the deputy chair in rule 12-23(6) be understood as referring to either deputy chair of that committee; and
(c)any reference to the deputy chair of a committee in any policy or guideline adopted by the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration be understood as referring to both deputy chairs acting together, until the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration decides otherwise;
5.if a committee establishes a Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, the members of the subcommittee other than the chair be authorized to direct the clerk of the committee to convene a meeting of the committee for the purposes of considering a draft agenda by sending a letter to the clerk, signed by all the members of the subcommittee other than the chair, upon receipt of which the clerk of the committee shall convene a meeting of the committee at the committee’s next meeting time, during a week that the Senate sits, according to the agreed upon schedule for committee meetings that is more than 24 hours after the receipt of the letter;
6.for greater certainty, if a meeting of a committee is convened pursuant to the terms of paragraph 5 of this order, and the chair is absent, a deputy chair or acting chair preside over the meeting; and
7.the Committee of Selection be a standing committee.
The Hon. the Speaker: Is leave granted, honourable senators?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
Accordingly, it was moved by the Honourable Senator Woo, seconded by the Honourable Senator Plett, that for the remainder of the current session — may I dispense? Anything on debate? Senator Munson, did you have a question?
Yes, please. Thank you very much for that, senator. I appreciate it. I would just like to know the rationale behind why a few of the committees will have two deputy chairs and why a committee, for example, as prominent and prestigious as Social Affairs, Science and Technology would not have two deputy chairs.
What made the difference, in terms of the argument that Foreign Affairs, National Security and others will have two deputy chairs? What happened?
Thank you for your question, senator. In all negotiations, there is an attempt to try and be fair to the various groups and to make the necessary trade-offs so that we can come to a satisfactory agreement. It was felt that it was important for the third recognized parliamentary group, the Canadian Senators Group, to get a number of deputy chairs. The way in which we were able to accomplish this was by creating a sufficient number of additional deputy chairs so that our colleagues in the CSG would be able to occupy them.
I have a supplementary question. In what role do you see those who are non-affiliated in this new Senate in the selection of being on committees or having an opportunity to run as deputy chair or chair?
Senator, you may be aware that there are many discussions already happening as we speak and which have been ongoing for the last 48 hours and more, whereby all the recognized groups, the caucuses, are making best efforts to accommodate non-affiliated senators in committees.
Are senators ready for the question?
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Woo, seconded by the Honourable Senator Plett, that for the remainder of the current session — may I dispense?
Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
(Motion agreed to.)