Proceedings of the Standing Joint Committee on
Scrutiny of Regulations

Issue 1 - Minutes of Proceedings

[English]

The Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations met at 8:40 a.m., this day, in Room 257, East Block, for the purpose of holding its organization meeting, pursuant to rule 88 of the Rules of the Senate and to Standing Order 106(1) of the House of Commons.

Members of the committee present:

Representing the Senate: The Honourable Senators Sheila Finestone, P.C., Aurélien Gill, Frank W. Mahovlich, Pierre Claude Nolin, and Marie-P. Poulin (Charette) (5).

Representing the House of Commons: Sue Barnes, Jean Guy Carignan, Michel Guimond, Gar Knutson, Robert Lanctôt, Derek Lee, Paul Macklin, Lynn Myers, Jim Pankiw, Werner Schmidt, and Karen Redman (for Tom Wappel) (11).

In attendance: Jean-Michel Roy, Joint Clerk of the Committee (House of Commons), François-R. Bernier, General Counsel to the Committee, Research Branch, Library of Parliament.

Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.

The Joint Clerk representing the Senate presided over the election of the Senate Joint Chair.

The Honourable Senator Finestone, P.C., moved that the Honourable Senator Hervieux-Payette, P.C., be elected Senate Joint Chair.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The Joint Clerk representing the Senate declared the Honourable Senator Hervieux-Payette, P.C., duly elected Senate Joint Chair of the Committee in abstentia.

In the absence of the Senate Joint Chair, the Joint Clerk representing the Senate presided over the election of an Acting Senate Joint Chair.

The Honourable Senator Gill moved that the Honourable Senator Finestone, P.C., be elected Acting Senate Joint Chair of the Committee.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The Joint Clerk representing the House of Commons presided over the election of the House of Commons Joint Chair.

Mr. Schmidt moved that Mr. Jim Pankiw be elected House of Commons Joint Chair.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The Joint Clerk representing the House of Commons declared Mr. Pankiw duly elected House of Commons Joint Chair of the Committee.

The Joint Chairs took the Chair.

Mr. Lee moved that Mr. Tom Wappel be Vice-Chair of the Committee.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

Mr. Lee moved that the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of the Joint Chairs and the Vice-Chair, one member from the other party in the Senate and one member from each of the two other opposition parties in the House of Commons; and that the Subcommittee report its decisions to the committee.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

Mr. Myers moved that the committee print its proceedings; and that the Joint Chairs be authorized to set the number to meet demand.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

Mr.Schmidt moved that the committee's General Counsel review the unrevised transcripts of the proceedings of the committee.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

Mr. Guimond moved that the committee concur in the First Report and that the Joint Chairs so report to their respective House.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

After debate, it was agreed that the issue of staffing the committee be further examined and placed on the agenda of a future meeting.

It was agreed to revert to consideration of the first report.

Mr. Lanctôt moved that the report be amended so as to require the presence of at least one opposition member for the committee to hold meetings.

After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was negatived on the following division:

YEAS: THE HONOURABLE SENATORS:

Mahovlich, Nolin

THE MEMBERS:

Carignan, Guimond, Lanctôt - 5

NAYS: THE HONOURABLE SENATORS:

Finestone, P.C., Gill, Poulin

THE MEMBERS:

Barnes, Lee, Macklin, Myers, Pankiw, Schmidt - 9

Mr. Myers moved that the committee confirm the agreement to have two counsel from the Library of Parliament and two administrative assistants from the Senate assigned to the said committee on a continuing basis and that their salaries and other expenses be paid by the committee from funds provided for that purpose in the committee's budget.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The Honourable Senator Poulin moved that either Joint Chair or, in accordance with the direction of the Joint Chairs, either Joint Clerk be authorized to approve payment of expenditures of the committee.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

Mr. Myers moved that, at the discretion of the Joint Chairs, 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 Joint Chairs be authorized to approve expenses for a second witness should there be exceptional circumstances.

After debate, Mr. Guimond moved that the motion be amended by adding thereafter: "and that documents only be distributed in both official languages."

After debate, the question being put on the motion in amendment, it was adopted.

The question being put on the motion, as amended, it was adopted.

Mr. Lee moved that the Joint Chairs be authorized to seek permission 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.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

Mr. Myers moved that the committee adopt the following budget applicaton for the financial year ending March 31, 2001:

HOUSE OF COMMONS (70%):

Mr. Lee moved that the committee adopt the following schedule for its meetings, subject to the adoption by both Houses of the committee's First Report: at 8:30 a.m. on March 22, 2001; April 5, 2001; May 3, 2001; May 17, 2001; June 7, 2001 and June 21, 2001.

It was agreed that the motion be amended by moving the March 22 meeting to March 29.

The question being put on the motion, as amended, it was adopted.

At 9:25 a.m., it was agreed that the committee adjourn to the call of the Joint Chairs.

ATTEST:

Till Heyde

Joint Clerk of the Committee (Senate)