Proceedings of the Standing Joint Committee for the 
Scrutiny of Regulations

Issue 1 - Minutes of Proceedings - June 23, 2011

OTTAWA, Thursday, June 23, 2011
(1)

[English]

The Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations met this day at 8:42 a.m., 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 subsection 106(1) of the Standing Orders of the House of Commons.

Members of the committee present:

Representing the Senate: The Honourable Senators Braley, Harb, Moore, Runciman and Verner, P.C. (5).

Representing the House of Commons: Dan Albas, Françoise Boivin, Garry Breitkreuz, Patrick Brown, Rod Bruinooge, Andrew Cash, Pierre Dionne Labelle, Jean-François Larose, Massimo Pacetti, Andrew Saxton and David Wilks (11).

Also present: Andrew Lauzon, Joint Clerk of the Committee (House of Commons); Peter Bernhardt, General Counsel, and Jacques Rousseau, Counsel, Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament.

In attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.

The joint clerk for the Senate presided over the election of the joint chair, Senate.

Mr. Cash moved:

That the Honourable Senator Runciman be joint chair of the committee for the Senate.

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

The joint clerk for the House of Commons presided over the election of the joint chair, House of Commons.

Mr. Saxton moved:

That Ms. Boivin be joint chair of the committee for the House of Commons.

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

The joint clerk for the House of Commons presided over the election of the vice-chairs.

Mr. Pacetti moved:

That Mr. Breitkreuz be vice-chair of the committee.

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

Mr. Brown moved:

That Mr. Pacetti be vice-chair of the committee.

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

Senator Moore moved:

That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of the joint chairs, the vice-chairs, one member from the other party in the Senate and one member from the other opposition party in the House of Commons, to be designated after the usual consultation;

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; and

That the subcommittee report its decisions to the committee.

Mr. Saxton moved that the motion be amended by replacing the words "other opposition party" with "government."

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. Larose moved:

That the committee publish its proceedings in both official languages; 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. Wilks 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.

Senator Moore moved:

That the committee concur in the first report on Statutory Instruments Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. S-22, and that the joint chairs so report to their respective Houses.

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

Senator Moore 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.

Senator Harb moved:

That, at the discretion of the joint chairs, the committee reimburse reasonable travelling and living expenses for one witness from any one organization, with payment to 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. Albas moved:

That the joint chairs be empowered to allow coverage by electronic media of the full committee's public proceedings with the least possible disruption of its hearings, at their discretion.

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

Mr. Albas moved:

That the Senate joint chair be authorized to seek permission from the Senate to permit coverage by electronic media of the committee's public proceedings with the least possible disruption of its hearings; and

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

Senator Harb moved:

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 adopted.

Senator Runciman, Joint Chair, informed the committee that the regular time slot for its meetings is Thursday mornings from 8:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m.

At 8:56 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the joint chairs.

ATTEST:

Marcy Zlotnick

Joint Clerk of the Committee (Senate)