Proceedings of the Standing Joint Committee for the 
Scrutiny of Regulations

Issue 15 - Minutes of Proceedings - December 4, 2014

OTTAWA, Thursday, December 4, 2014
(14)

[English]

The Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations met at 8:30 a.m., this day, in room 256-S, Centre Block, the joint chairs, the Honourable Senator Denise Batters and Ms. Chris Charlton, presiding.

Representing the Senate: The Honourable Senators Batters, Hervieux-Payette, P.C., McInnis, Meredith, Moore and Runciman (6).

Representing the House of Commons: Dan Albas, Rob Anders, Mauril Bélanger, Garry Breitkreuz, Chris Charlton, Rob Clarke, Anne Minh-Thu Quach, François Pilon and Maurice Vellacott (9).

Acting member present for the House of Commons: Brad Butt for Dan Albas and Blaine Calkins for Patrick Brown (2).

Also present: Leif-Erik Aune, Joint Clerk of the Committee (House of Commons); Peter Bernhardt, General Counsel and Cynthia Kirkby, Counsel, Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament.

In attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.

The committee proceeded to consider its permanent order of reference, as set out in section 19, the Statutory Instruments Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. S-22, which provides for the following:

Every statutory instrument issued, made or established after December 31, 1971, other than an instrument the inspection of which and the obtaining of copies of which are precluded by any regulations made pursuant to paragraph 20(d), shall stand permanently referred to any committee of the House of Commons, of the Senate or of both Houses of Parliament that may be established for the purpose of reviewing and scrutinizing statutory instruments.

In the matter of SOR/97-6 — Feeds Regulations, 1983, amendment; in the matter of SOR/97-9 — Seeds Regulations, amendment; and in the matter of SOR/2001-274 — Regulations Amending the Seeds Regulations, it was agreed that the joint chairs correspond with the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada with respect to certain comments made by the committee.

In the matter of SOR/2001-532 — Telecommunications Apparatus Regulations, it was agreed that counsel to the committee review their status at a later date and inform the committee of the action taken.

In the matter of SI/2013-65 — Order Fixing the Day on which this Order is published and six months after that Day as the Days on which Certain Provisions of the Act Come into Force, it was agreed that counsel to the committee correspond with the Designated Instruments Officer of Health Canada with respect to certain comments made by the committee.

In the matter of SI/2014-64 — Order Amending the Access to Information Act Heads of Government Institutions Designation Order, it was agreed that the file be closed.

In the matter of SOR/2013-258 — Order 2013-87-11-01 Amending the Domestic Substances List; and SOR/2013- 259 — Order 2013-87-11-01 Amending the Domestic Substances List, it was agreed that the file be closed.

In the matter of SOR/2014-95 — Experimental Lakes Area Research Activities Regulations, it was agreed that counsel to the committee correspond with the Designated Instruments Officer of Environment Canada with respect to certain comments made by the committee.

In the matter of SOR/96-254 — Processing and Distribution of Semen for Assisted Conception Regulations; SOR/ 2000-299 — Regulations Amending the Processing and Distribution of Semen for Assisted Conception Regulations (1218 — Alternative Tests); and SOR/2000-410 — Regulations Amending the Processing and Distribution of Semen for Assisted Conception Regulations (1238 — Special Access), it was agreed that the joint chairs correspond with the Minister of Health Canada with respect to certain comments made by the committee. It was also agreed that counsel to the committee review their status at a later date and inform the committee of the action taken.

In the matter of SOR/2008-135 — Order Amending Schedule I to the Access to Information Act; and SOR/2008- 136 — Order Amending the Schedule to the Privacy Act, it was agreed that counsel to the committee correspond with the Designated Instruments Officer of the Privy Council Office with respect to certain comments made by the committee.

At 9:03 a.m., Mr. Albas replaced Mr. Butt as a member of the committee.

In the matter of SOR/2008-120 — Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations; SOR/2010-34 — Regulations Amending the Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations; and SOR/2010-226 — Regulations Amending the Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations, it was agreed that counsel to the committee correspond with the Designated Instruments Officer of Transport Canada with respect to certain comments made by the committee.

In the matter of SOR/2005-168 — Regulations Amending the Orderly Payment of Debts Regulations, it was agreed that counsel to the committee correspond with the Designated Instruments Officer of Industry Canada with respect to certain comments made by the committee.

In the matter of SOR/2008-278 — Regulations Amending the Manitoba Fishery Regulations, 1987, it was agreed that counsel to the committee review their status at a later date and inform the committee of the action taken.

In the matter of SOR/93-220 — Historic Canals Regulations, it was agreed that counsel to the committee correspond with the Designated Instruments Officer of Parks Canada with respect to certain comments made by the committee.

In the matter of SOR/2003-363 — Antarctic Environmental Protection Regulations, it was agreed that counsel to the committee correspond with the Designated Instruments Officer of Environment Canada with respect to certain comments made by the committee.

In the matter of SOR/2008-202 — Regulations Amending the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, it was agreed that counsel to the committee correspond with the Designated Instruments Officer of Citizenship and Immigration Canada with respect to certain comments made by the committee.

In the matter of SOR/2008-253 — Regulations Amending the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (Permanent Residents), it was agreed that counsel to the committee correspond with the Designated Instruments Officer of Citizenship and Immigration Canada with respect to certain comments made by the committee.

In the matter of SOR/2011-217 — Regulations Amending the National Historic Parks General Regulations (Miscellaneous Program), it was agreed that counsel to the committee review their status at a later date and inform the committee of the action taken.

In the matter of SOR/2014-8 — Regulations Amending the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Regulations, it was agreed that counsel to the committee correspond with the Designated Instruments Officer of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency with respect to certain comments made by the committee.

In the matter of SOR/2014-201 — Order 2014-87-07-01 Amending the Domestic Substances List, it was agreed that the file be closed.

In the matter of SOR/2014-228 — Technical Amendments Order (Customs Tariff, 2014), it was agreed that the file be closed.

The committee considered the following Statutory Instruments without comment:

SI/2014-15Proclamation Giving Notice that the Agreement on Social Security between Canada and the Republic of Bulgaria and the Administrative Agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria for the Implementation of the Agreement on Social Security between Canada and the Republic of Bulgaria are in force as of March 1, 2014;

SI/2014-18 — Order Fixing April 1, 2014 as the Day on which Certain Sections of the Act Come into Force;

SI/2014-71 — Order Fixing August 1, 2014 as the Day on which Certain Provisions of the Act Come into Force;

SI/2014-72 — Order Fixing Certain Dates as the Days on which Certain Sections of the Act Come into Force;

SI/2014-73 — Order Designating the Minister of Canadian Heritage to be the Minister referred to in the Act;

SI/2014-74 — Order Fixing October 1, 2014 as the Day on which the Act comes into Force;

SI/2104-75 — Order Fixing October 1, 2014 as the Day on which Certain Provisions of the Act Come into Force;

SOR/2013-227 — Regulations Amending the Export Development Canada Exercise of Certain Powers Regulations;

SOR/2014-55 — Order Imposing Measures to Address the Extraordinary Disruption to the National Transportation System in Relation to Grain Movement;

SOR/2014-99 — Regulations Amending the Food and Drug Regulations (Mechanically Tenderized Beef);

SOR/2014-147 — Regulations Amending the Regulations Establishing a List of Entities;

SOR/2014-172 — Regulations Amending the Special Economic Measures (Ukraine) Regulations;

SOR/2014-177 — Disposal at Sea Permit Application Regulations;

SOR/2014-178 — Order 2014-87-06-01 Amending the Domestic Substances List;

SOR/2014-179 — Order 2014-66-06-01 Amending the Domestic Substances List;

SOR/2014-182 — Order Amending the Order Declaring an Amnesty Period (2014);

SOR/2014-189 — Order Specifying the Minimum Amount of Grain to Be Moved; and

SOR/2014-197 — Regulations Amending the Pari-Mutuel Betting Supervision Regulations.

At 9:41 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the joint chairs.

ATTEST:

Daniel Charbonneau

Acting Joint Clerk of the Committee (Senate)