STATEMENT BY THE CHAIR
Pursuant to Order made by the House on Wednesday, March 3, 2010, the following routine motions in effect at the time of prorogation of the previous session are deemed to have been adopted by the Committee in the current session:
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.
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be established and be composed of the Chair, the two (2) Vice-Chairs and a member of the other opposition party.
That the Chair be authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence and to have that evidence printed when a quorum is not present, provided that at least four (4) members are present, including one member of the opposition.
That only the Clerk of the Committee be authorized to distribute documents to members of the Committee and only when such documents exist in both official languages.
That, unless otherwise ordered, each Committee member be allowed to be accompanied by one staff person at an in camera meeting. In addition, each party shall be permitted to have one party staff member attend in camera meetings.
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.
That the Clerk of the Committee be authorized to make the necessary arrangements to provide working meals for the Committee and its subcommittees.
That, if requested, reasonable travel, accommodation and living expenses be reimbursed to witnesses not exceeding two (2) representatives per organization and that, in exceptional circumstances, payment for more representatives be made at the discretion of the Chair.
That forty-eight (48) hours’ notice be required for any substantive motion to be considered by the Committee, unless the substantive motion relates directly to business then under consideration and that the notice of motion be filed with the Clerk of the Committee and distributed to members in both official languages.
That witnesses shall be allowed up to ten (10) minutes to make their opening statement; that during the questioning of witnesses, there be allocated seven (7) minutes for the first round of questioning; and that thereafter, five (5) minutes shall be allocated to each questioner in the second and subsequent rounds of questioning, at the discretion of the Chair.
That the order of questions for the first round of questioning shall be as follows: Liberal, Bloc Québécois, NDP and Conservative (CPC); that questioning during the second round shall alternate between the opposition members and Government members, in the following fashion: Liberal, Conservative, Bloc, Conservative, Liberal, Conservative, based on the principle that each committee member should have a full opportunity to question the witnesses; and that, if time permits, further rounds shall be at the discretion of the Chair.