ETHI Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics met by videoconference at 3:32 p.m. this day, in Room 237-C, Centre Block, the Chair, the Hon. Shawn Murphy, presiding.

Wayne Easter moved, — That the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics call Mr. Kasra Nejatian former Director of Multicultural Affairs to the Minister of Immigration, Hon. Jason Kenney and that Mr. Nejatian be instructed to appear on Wednesday, March 9, 2011; And that the purpose of the meeting be to examine the issuance by the office of the Minister of Immigration of the letter dated March 3, 2011 on the matter of the circulation of the presentation entitled "Breaking Through - Building the Conservative Brand in Cultural Communities".

Debate arose thereon.

It was agreed, — That consideration of the motion of Wayne Easter be moved to 4:30 p.m..

John McMillan made a statement and answered questions.

The Committee resumed the debate on the motion of Wayne Easter

Bill Siksay moved, — That the motion be amended by adding after the words “to appear” the following: “at a special evening meeting of the Committee”.

The question was put on the amendment and the result of the vote was announced: YEAS: Carolyn Bennett, Wayne Easter, Carole Freeman, Bill Siksay, Ève-Mary Thaï Thi Lac — 5; NAYS: Jim Abbott, Harold Albrecht, Paul Calandra, Patricia Davidson, Pierre Poilievre — 5.

Whereupon, the Chair voted in the affirmative.

Accordingly, the amendment was agreed to.

The question was put on the motion, as amended, and the result of the vote was announced: YEAS: Carolyn Bennett, Wayne Easter, Carole Freeman, Bill Siksay, Ève-Mary Thaï Thi Lac — 5; NAYS: Jim Abbott, Harold Albrecht, Paul Calandra, Patricia Davidson, Pierre Poilievre — 5.

Whereupon, the Chair voted in the affirmative.

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

That the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics call Mr. Kasra Nejatian former Director of Multicultural Affairs to the Minister of Immigration, Hon. Jason Kenney and that Mr. Nejatian be instructed to appear at a special evening meeting of the Committee, Wednesday, March 9, 2011; And that the purpose of the meeting be to examine the issuance by the office of the Minister of Immigration of the letter dated March 3, 2011 on the matter of the circulation of the presentation entitled "Breaking Through - Building the Conservative Brand in Cultural Communities".

At 5:10 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 5:12 p.m., the sitting resumed.

At 5:12 p.m., Patricia Davidson took the Chair.

Jim Abbott moved, — That That the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics call Member of Parliament Linda Duncan and Member of Parliament and Chair of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, the Hon. Shawn Murphy, to appear on Wednesday, March 9, 2011 as Member of Parliament Kelly Block did when called; and that the purpose of the meeting be to examine the inappropriate use of Parliamentary resources by their offices.

The Chair ruled the proposed motion inadmissible as she was of the opinion that it went as beyond the mandate of Committee as outlined in Standing Order 108 (3)(h)(vi) and that the Board of Internal Economy has the exclusive authority to determine whether any previous, current or proposed use by a member of the House of Commons of any funds, goods, services or premises made available to that member for the carrying out of Parliamentary functions is or was proper outlined in section 52.6 (1) of the Parliament of Canada Act and page 238 of the House of Commons Procedure and Practice (Second Edition) (O'Brien/Bosc) .

Whereupon, Jim Abbott appealed the decision of the Chair.

The question: "Shall the decision of the Chair be sustained?" was put and the decision was sustained on the following recorded division: YEAS: Carolyn Bennett, Paul Calandra, Wayne Easter, Carole Freeman, Bill Siksay, Ève-Mary Thaï Thi Lac, Francis Valeriote — 7; NAYS: Jim Abbott, Harold Albrecht, Pierre Poilievre — 3.

At 5:22 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.