Proceedings of the Standing Joint Committee on
Scrutiny of Regulations

Issue 1 - Minutes of Proceedings

OTTAWA, Thursday, November 21, 2002
(1)

[English]

The Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations met at 8:40 a.m., this day, in room 256-S, Centre 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 Elizabeth Hubley, Serge Joyal, P.C., James F. Kelleher, P.C., Shirley Maheu, and Gerard A. Phalen (5).

Representing the House of Commons: Roy Bailey (for Maurice Vellacott), Garry Breitkreuz (for John Cummins), John Cummins, Liza Frulla, Gurmant Grewal, Derek Lee, Paul Macklin, John McKay, Lynn Myers, Chuck Strahl (for Ted White), and Tom Wappel (11).

In attendance: Joann Garbig, 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 Hubley 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.

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 Joyal, P.C., moved that the Honourable Senator Hubley be elected Acting Senate Joint Chair.

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. Strahl moved that Mr. Grewal 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. Grewal duly elected House of Commons Joint Chair.

The Acting Senate Joint Chair and the House of Commons Joint Chair took the Chair.

Mr. Wappel moved that Mr. Lee be elected Vice-Chair.

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. Macklin 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. Breitkreuz 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.

Mr. Wappel 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.

Mr. Bailey moved that either Joint Chairs 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. Wappel moved that 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.

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

Mr. Strahl moved that the Joint Chairs be authorized to seek necessary permissions 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. Breitkreuz moved that the committee adopt the following schedule for its meetings to the end of 2002, subject to the adoption by both Houses of the committee's first report: at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, December 5 and 12, 2002.

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

At 8:50 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)