PROC Committee Meeting

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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 49

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

The Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs met in camera at 9:05 a.m. this day, in Room 253-D, Centre Block, the Chair, Joe Preston, presiding.

Members of the Committee present: Harold Albrecht, Claude DeBellefeuille, Yvon Godin, Tom Lukiwski, Joe Preston, Marcel Proulx, Scott Reid and Terence Young.

Acting Members present: Scott Armstrong for Steven Blaney, Hon. Scott Brison for Yasmin Ratansi, David J. McGuinty for Judy Foote, Hon. Gordon O'Connor for Harold Albrecht and Pierre A. Paquette for Mario Laframboise.

In attendance: Library of Parliament: Andre Barnes, Analyst ; Nicolas Auclair, Analyst ; Nancy Vohl, Research Assistant.

Appearing: Hon. Rob Nicholson, P.C., M.P., Minister of Justice; Hon. Vic Toews, P.C., M.P., Minister of Public Safety.

Witnesses: Department of Public Safety: William V. Baker, Deputy Minister. As an individual: Mel Cappe. Department of Justice: Yves Côté, Associate Deputy Minister; Catherine Kane, Director General and Senior General Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section. Treasury Board Secretariat: Donna Dériger, Acting Senior Director, Financial Management Strategies, Costing and Charging, Financial Management Sector, Office of the Comptroller General; Alister Smith, Associate Secretary. Canadian Security Intelligence Service: Richard B. Fadden, Director. Correctional Service of Canada: Don Head, Commissioner. Library of Parliament: Mostafa Askari, Assistant Parliamentary Budget Officer, Economic and Fiscal Analysis, Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer; Sahir Khan, Assistant Parliamentary Budget Officer, Expenditure and Revenue Analysis, Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer; Kevin Page, Parliamentary Budget Officer. Royal Canadian Mounted Police: Rod Knecht, Senior Deputy Commissioner. Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada: Suzanne Legault, Information Commissioner; Emily McCarthy, General Counsel, Legal Services; Andrea Neill, Assistant Commissioner, Complaints Resolution and Compliance. National Parole Board: Marie-France Pelletier, Executive Vice-Chairperson. Canada Border Services Agency: Luc Portelance, President. Public Prosecution Service of Canada: Brian J. Saunders, Director of Public Prosecutions, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. House of Commons: Rob R. Walsh, Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel.

Pursuant to the Order of Reference of November 29, 2010, the Committee resumed consideration of the question of privilege relating to the premature disclosure on November 18, 2010, of the confidential draft report on the prebudget consultations of the Standing Committee on Finance by an employee of the member for Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar.

The Committee resumed consideration of a draft report.

At 10:00 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 10:30 a.m., the sitting resumed in a televised session.

Pursuant to the Order of Reference of Wednesday, March 9, 2011, the Committee commenced consideration of the question of privilege relating to the failure of the government to fully provide the documents as ordered by the House.

Rob R. Walsh answered questions.

At 11:30 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 11:34 a.m., the sitting resumed.

Suzanne Legault made a statement and, with Andrea Neill, answered questions.

At 12:31 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 1:30 p.m., the sitting resumed.

The Ministers made statements and, with Don Head and Catherine Kane, answered questions.

Scott Brison moved, — That the Committee invite the Hon. Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety and the Hon. Rob Nicholson, Minister of Justice, to appear on Thursday, March 17, 2011.

At 2:37 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 2:43 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Mel Cappe made a statement and answered questions.

At 3:33 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 4:00 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Alister Smith made a statement and, with Donna Dériger, answered questions.

At 4:44 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 4:51 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Kevin Page made a statement and, with Sahir Khan and Mostafa Askari, answered questions.

At 5:46 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 5:48 p.m., the sitting resumed.

The Committee proceeded to the consideration of matters related to Committee business.

The Committee resumed consideration of the motion of Scott Brison, — That the Committee invite the Hon. Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety and the Hon. Rob Nicholson, Minister of Justice, to appear on Thursday, March 17, 2011.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to.

Tom Lukiwski moved, — That, in the event that the Ministers may not be able to attend, that the Committee invite the officials to appear.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 5; NAYS: 0.

On motion of Marcel Proulx, it was agreed, — That, in relation to the study of the question of privilege relating to the failure of the Government to provide the documents as ordered by the House, the proposed budget in the amount of $8,950, for the period of 2010-2011 be adopted.

On motion of Marcel Proulx, it was agreed, — That, in relation to the study of the question of privilege relating to statements made by the Minister of International Cooperation, the proposed budget in the amount of $8,950, for the period of 2010-2011 be adopted.

At 5:57 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Michelle Tittley
Clerk of the Committee

2011/03/28 3:53 p.m.