JUST Justice and Human Rights - Thursday, December 16, 2021 - Election of Chair

The Clerk of the Committee (Mr. Jean-François Pagé):

Honourable members of the committee, I see a quorum.

I must inform members that the clerk of the committee can only receive motions for the election of the chair. The clerk cannot receive other types of motions and cannot entertain points of order or participate in debate.

We can now proceed to the election of the chair. Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the chair must be a member of the government party.

[Translation]

I'm ready to receive motions for the chair.

Mr. Yasir Naqvi (Ottawa Centre, Lib.):

Mr. Clerk, I'd like to nominate Mr. Randeep Sarai, the MP for Surrey Centre, as the chair of the justice committee.

The Clerk:

It has been moved that Mr. Sarai be elected as chair of the committee. Are there any further motions?

Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?

(Motion agreed to)

The Clerk: I declare Mr. Sarai duly elected the chair of the committee.

Some hon. members: Hear, hear!

The Chair (Mr. Randeep Sarai (Surrey Centre, Lib.)):

First of all, thank you for electing me as the chair.

I hope to have good lunches and treat you guys well. We'll have to wait for that, probably until the next committee meeting in the new year.

If the committee is in agreement, I invite the clerk to proceed with the election of vice-chairs.

The Clerk:

Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the first vice-chair must be a member of the official opposition.

[Translation]

I'm now prepared to receive motions for the first vice‑chair.

[English]

Go ahead, Mr. Brock.

Mr. Larry Brock (Brantford—Brant, CPC):

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. I'd like to move the nomination of my colleague, the Hon. Rob Moore, as the vice-chair.

The Clerk:

It has been moved that Mr. Moore be elected as the first vice-chair of the committee.

[Translation]

Are there any further motions?

Mrs. Élisabeth Brière (Sherbrooke, Lib.):

Yes. I'd like to nominate my colleague Rhéal Fortin, from the Bloc Québécois.

The Clerk:

Ms. Brière, the first vice‑chair must be a member of the official opposition.

The Chair:

Yes.

Mr. Rhéal Fortin (Rivière-du-Nord, BQ):

Mr. Chair, I would nevertheless like to thank my colleague, Ms. Brière.

Some hon. members: Oh, oh! (laughter)

The Chair:

Ms. Brière, we're still going for the first vice-chair. Do you want to retract that nomination? Then we'll proceed with electing the first vice-chair, who must be from the opposition party.

Mrs. Élisabeth Brière:

Perfect.

The Clerk:

It has been moved by Mr. Brock that Mr. Moore be elected as the first vice-chair of the committee.

Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?

(Motion agreed to)

The Clerk: I declare Mr. Moore duly elected.

[Translation]

Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the second vice‑chair must be a member of an opposition party other than the official opposition.

[English]

I am now prepared to receive motions for the second vice-chair.

Mrs. Élisabeth Brière:

I'd now like to nominate Rhéal Fortin, from the Bloc Québécois.

The Clerk:

It has been moved by Ms. Brière that Mr. Fortin be elected as second vice‑chair of the committee.

Are there any further motions?

Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?

(Motion agreed to)

The Clerk:

I declare the motion carried and Mr. Fortin duly elected second vice‑chair of the committee.

Some hon. members: Hear, hear!

The Chair:

Welcome to meeting number one of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format, pursuant to the House order of November 25, 2021. Members are attending in person in the room and remotely by using the Zoom application. Regarding the speaking list, the committee clerk and I will do our best to maintain a consolidated order of speaking for all members, whether participating virtually or in person.

I'd like to take this opportunity to remind all participants in this meeting that screenshots or taking a photo of your screen is not permitted. The proceedings will be made available via the House of Commons website.

Given the ongoing pandemic situation and in light of recommendations from public health authorities, as well as the directive of the Board of Internal Economy on October 19, 2021, to remain healthy and safe, the following points are recommended for all those attending the meetings in person: Anyone with symptoms should participate by Zoom and not attend the meeting in person. Everyone must maintain two-metre physical distancing, whether seated or standing. Everyone must wear a non-medical mask when circulating in the room. It is recommended, in the strongest possible terms, that members wear their masks at all times, including when seated. Non-medical masks, which provide better clarity over cloth masks, are available in the room. Everyone present must maintain proper hand hygiene by using hand sanitizer at the room entrance.

Committee rooms are cleaned before and after each meeting. To maintain this, everyone is encouraged to clean surfaces such as the desk, chair and microphone with the provided disinfectant wipes when vacating or taking a seat.

As the chair, I will be enforcing these measures for the duration of the meeting, and I thank members in advance for their co-operation.

I would like to suggest as the next order of business that the committee now proceed to considering our routine motions.

Please go ahead, Madame Diab.

Ms. Lena Metlege Diab (Halifax West, Lib.):

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[English]

I would like to move the motions. I'll read them one by one.

That the committee retain, as needed and at the discretion of the Chair, the services of one or more analysts from the Library of Parliament to assist it in its work.

The Chair:

Will we vote one by one for each motion?

Ms. Lena Metlege Diab:

Unless it's the will at some point that we vote on them all, yes.

That's the first motion. It's on analyst services.

The Chair:

Do I have the will of the committee?

(Motion agreed to)

The Chair: Thank you.

Go on.

Ms. Lena Metlege Diab:

I would now be pleased to move,

That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be established and be composed of five (5) members, namely the Chair and one member from each recognized party; and that the subcommittee work in a spirit of collaboration.

The Chair:

Do I see consensus?

(Motion agreed to)

The Chair: Please continue.

Ms. Lena Metlege Diab:

The next motion would be,

That the Chair be authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence and to have that evidence published when a quorum is not present, provided that at least four members are present, including two members of the opposition parties and two members of the government party; but when travelling outside the Parliamentary Precinct, that the meeting begin after 15 minutes, regardless of members present.

The Chair:

Is the motion carried?

(Motion agreed to)

The Chair: Please continue.

Ms. Lena Metlege Diab:

The next motion is as follows:

That witnesses be given five minutes for their opening statement; that whenever possible, witnesses provide the committee with their opening statement 72 hours in advance; that at the discretion of the Chair, during the questioning of witnesses, there be allocated six minutes for the first questioner of each party as follows for the first round:

Conservative Party;

Liberal Party;

Bloc Québécois;

New Democratic Party.

For the second and subsequent rounds, the order and time for questioning be as follows:

Conservative Party, five minutes;

Liberal Party, five minutes;

Bloc Québécois, two and a half minutes;

New Democratic Party, two and a half minutes;

Conservative Party, five minutes;

Liberal Party, five minutes.

The Chair:

Do I hear a consensus? Yes?

(Motion agreed to)

The Chair: Thank you.

Ms. Lena Metlege Diab:

The next motion reads:

That only the clerk of the committee be authorized to distribute documents to members of the Committee provided the documents are in both official languages, and that the witnesses be advised accordingly.

The Chair:

Do I see consensus?

(Motion agreed to)

The Chair: Thank you.

Ms. Lena Metlege Diab:

The next motion is as follows:

That the clerk of the committee, at the discretion of the Chair, be authorized to make the necessary arrangements to provide working meals for the committee and its subcommittees.

The Chair:

Does that carry?

(Motion agreed to)

The Chair: Thank you. Please continue.

Ms. Lena Metlege Diab:

The next motion is as follows:

That, if requested, reasonable travel, accommodation and living expenses be reimbursed to witnesses not exceeding two representatives per organization; and that in exceptional circumstances, payment for more representatives be made at the discretion of the Chair.

The Chair:

Is everybody okay with it?

(Motion agreed to)

The Chair: Thank you. We will continue.

Ms. Lena Metlege Diab:

The next motion is on access to in camera meetings. It reads:

That, unless otherwise ordered, each committee member be allowed to be accompanied by one staff member at an in camera meeting and that one additional person from each House officer's office be allowed to be present.

The Chair:

Is everybody okay with that?

(Motion agreed to)

The Chair: Thank you. Please continue.

Ms. Lena Metlege Diab:

The next motion reads:

That one copy of the transcript of each in camera meeting be kept in the committee clerk's office for consultation by members of the committee or by their staff; and that the analysts assigned to the committee also have access to the in camera transcripts.

The Chair:

Is everybody okay with that?

(Motion agreed to)

The Chair: Go ahead, Madame Diab.

Ms. Lena Metlege Diab:

The next motion is as follows:

That a 48‑hour notice, interpreted as two nights, be required for any substantive motion to be moved in committee, unless the substantive motion relates directly to business then under consideration, provided that: (a) the notice be filed with the clerk of the committee no later than 4:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday; (b) the motion be distributed to Members and the offices of the whips of each recognized party in both official languages by the clerk on the same day the said notice was transmitted if it was received no later than the deadline hour; (c) notices received after the deadline hour or on non‑business days be deemed to have been received during the next business day; and that when the committee is holding meetings outside the Parliamentary Precinct, no substantive motion may be moved.

The Chair:

Are we in agreement?

(Motion agreed to)

The Chair: Let's go on.

Ms. Lena Metlege Diab:

The next motion pertains to orders of reference from the House respecting bills. It reads as follows:

That, in relation to orders of reference from the House respecting Bills,

(a) The clerk of the committee shall, upon the committee receiving such an order of reference, write to each Member who is not a member of a caucus represented on the committee to invite those members to file with the clerk of the committee, in both official languages, any amendments to the bill which is the subject of the said order which they would suggest that the committee consider;

(b) Suggested amendments filed, pursuant to paragraph (a), at least 48 hours prior of the start of clause-by-clause consideration of the bill to which the amendments relate shall be deemed to be proposed during the said consideration, provided that the committee may, by motion, vary this deadline in respect of a given bill; and

(c) During the clause-by-clause consideration of a bill, the Chair shall allow a Member who filed suggested amendments, pursuant to paragraph (a), an opportunity to make brief representations in support of them.

The Chair:

Are we in agreement?

(Motion agreed to)

The Chair: Go ahead.

Ms. Lena Metlege Diab:

The next motion reads as follows:

That the clerk inform each witness who is to appear before the committee that the House administration support team must conduct technical tests to check the connectivity and the equipment used to ensure the best possible sound quality; and that the Chair advises the Committee, at the start of each meeting, of any witness who did not perform the required technical tests.

The Chair:

Are we all good?

(Motion agreed to)

The Chair: Let's continue.

Ms. Lena Metlege Diab:

The last one that I have here is the following:

[Translation]

That all documents submitted for committee business that do not come from a federal department or that have not been translated by the Translation Bureau be sent for prior linguistic review by the Translation Bureau before being distributed to members.

The Chair:

Are we all good?

(Motion agreed to)

Ms. Lena Metlege Diab:

There. That's all the motions.

The Chair:

I think you have in camera meetings. Do you want to...?

Are there any other routine motions? Is there anything else we want to discuss?

I guess we can adjourn until the New Year. Is everybody on screen? I don't want to miss Mr. Garrison or Ms. Brière.

We will see you in the new year. We can have chats in between if there is anything we want to discuss, but otherwise we can formally adjourn. Thank you. It's a pleasure and honour to serve you.

The meeting is adjourned.

Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights

EVIDENCE

Thursday, December 16, 2021

[Recorded by Electronic Apparatus]