REGS Committee Meeting

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THE STANDING JOINT COMMITTEE FOR THE SCRUTINY OF REGULATIONS

EVIDENCE

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OTTAWA, Monday, April 4, 2022

The Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations met by videoconference this day at 11 a.m. [ET] to organize the committee’s activities.

[Translation]

François Michaud, Joint Clerk of the Committee: Good morning, everyone. My name is François Michaud. I’m the joint clerk for the Senate side of the committee. It’s my duty and honour to proceed with the election of the joint chair for the Senate.

[English]

I am ready to receive a motion for the election of the joint chair on the Senate side.

Senator Dean: I nominate Senator Yuen Pau Woo as the Senate joint chair.

The Joint Clerk (Mr. Michaud): Senator Dean moves that Senator Woo be elected to be the joint chair for the Senate. Are there any other nominations? If you oppose the motion, please say “no.”

Thank you. I declare the motion carried and Senator Woo will be joint chair. I will ask Paul Cardegna to do his part.

Senator Yuen Pau Woo (Joint Chair) in the chair.

Paul Cardegna, Joint Clerk of the Committee: Thank you very much. I am the joint clerk for the House of Commons side of the committee.

Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the joint chair for the House of Commons must be a member of the official opposition.

[Translation]

I’m prepared to receive motions for the position of joint chair for the House of Commons.

[English]

Mr. Webber: I would like to nominate Mr. Blake Richards as joint chair for the House of Commons.

The Joint Clerk (Mr. Cardegna): Mr. Webber has nominated Mr. Richards as the joint chair for the House of Commons.

[Translation]

Are there any other nominations?

[English]

Is there anyone who disagrees with the motion that Mr. Richards be elected House joint chair of the committee? Seeing no objections, I declare Mr. Richards to be the duly elected House joint chair of the committee. Congratulations to Mr. Richards.

Mr. Blake Richards (Joint Chair) in the chair.

The Joint Clerk (Mr. Cardegna): We will now proceed to the election of the vice-chairs. Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2) of the House of Commons, the first vice-chair will be a member of the government party.

[Translation]

I’m now prepared to receive nominations for the position of first vice-chair.

[English]

Mr. Noormohamed: I nominate Mr. Zuberi for the position of first vice-chair.

The Joint Clerk (Mr. Cardegna): Mr. Noormohamed has nominated Mr. Zuberi as the first vice-chair. Are there any other nominations for the position of first vice-chair? Seeing none, the question is this: Shall Mr. Zuberi be elected first vice-chair of the committee? Is there anyone who disagrees with this motion? Seeing no disagreement, I declare Mr. Zuberi duly elected first vice-chair of the committee.

Congratulations, Mr. Zuberi.

[Translation]

I’m now prepared to proceed to the election of the second vice-chair. Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2) of the House of Commons, the second vice-chair must be from an opposition party other than the official opposition.

I’m now prepared to receive nominations for the position of second vice-chair.

Ms. Brière: I nominate my colleague from the Bloc Québécois, Jean-Denis Garon.

The Joint Clerk (Mr. Cardegna): Ms. Brière has nominated Mr. Garon for the position of second vice-chair of the committee. Are there any other nominations?

The motion moves that Mr. Garon be the second vice-chair of the committee. Is there anyone who disagrees with this motion? Please let me know now.

Seeing no objections, I declare Mr. Garon to be the duly elected second vice-chair of the committee.

Congratulations, Mr. Garon.

The Joint Chair (Senator Woo): I’m honoured to have been appointed to the position of joint chair. I look forward to working with you.

[English]

I especially look forward to working with my joint chair, Mr. Richards, and our vice-chairs.

We have a number of routine motions to go through. With Mr. Richards’s agreement, I will take this part of the meeting. If you would like to take over halfway through, I am happy to yield the floor. I will look for his signal on video. These are all routine motions. I hope we can get through them fairly quickly.

We will go to item 4, which is the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure.

We are asking:

That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of the Joint Chairs, the Vice-Chairs, as well as, after the usual consultations, one Senator and one member from the other recognized party in the House of Commons;

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.

It is so moved by Senator Dalphond. All those in favour? None opposed. It is carried.

Let’s move to item 5, publishing the proceedings in both official languages.

It is moved by Mr. Webber:

That the Committee publish its Proceedings in both official languages.

All in favour, none opposed, so it is adopted.

Moving item 6, which pertains to transcripts.

It is moved by Mr. Noormohamed:

That the Committee’s General Counsel review the unrevised transcripts of the proceedings of the Committee.

All in favour? None opposed. Adopted.

For item 7, you will have received a draft copy of the first report of this committee. If you need a bit of time to review it, I invite you to do so, but otherwise may I have someone to move the adoption of the first report?

It is moved by Mr. Gaheer:

That the Committee concur in the First Report and that the Joint Chairs so report to their respective Houses.

Any discussion or questions? If not, are all in favour? Any opposed? So adopted.

Item 8 is on the authorization of expenditures. May I have a mover?

It is moved by Mr. Webber:

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.

All in favour? None opposed. Adopted.

Item 9 has to do with the travelling and living expense of witnesses.

It is moved by Mr. Noormohamed:

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.

All in favour? None opposed. So adopted.

Item 10 has to do with travel by members of this committee.

It is moved by Senator Dalphond:

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.

All in favour? Any opposed? So adopted.

We have now moved on to other business. At this point, I want to give the floor to Mr. Richards in case he wants to say anything before we get to the adjournment.

Did you want to say anything?

The Joint Chair (Mr. Richards): Senator, that’s just fine. I will, happily, have the opportunity in future meetings. You are doing a great job, so I’ll let you continue.

The Joint Chair (Senator Woo): Thank you. I invite any comments from anyone who might want to make a comment at this stage. Looking at the Zoom, I don’t see any hands raised, so I think we’re about to call the adjournment.

Mr. Zuberi: I wanted to confirm the schedule of our meetings. It will be every other week; is that correct?

The Joint Chair (Senator Woo): You are prescient. I was about to say the next meeting is May 2, followed by meetings on May 16, May 30 and June 13. The clerks will, of course, provide you with updates on the schedule ahead of time.

If there is no other business, I ask for a motion to move the adjournment. It is moved by Senator Dalphond. All in favour? None opposed.

Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. I look forward to working with you.

(The committee adjourned.)