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Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs

NUMBER 115

1st SESSION

42nd PARLIAMENT

EVIDENCE

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

[Recorded by Electronic Apparatus]

(1105)

[English]

The Chair (Hon. Larry Bagnell (Yukon, Lib.)):

Good morning. Welcome to the 115th meeting of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.

For members' information, we are sitting in public.

I am glad to be back. It's been 2,000 miles of driving since I saw you last and 10,000 kilometres of flying.

Mr. Bittle.

Mr. Chris Bittle (St. Catharines, Lib.):

Mr. Chair, I move that we go in camera for our discussion.

The Chair:

Okay. Is there any discussion?

Mr. Scott Reid (Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, CPC):

I'm sorry, Mr. Chair, I don't think you can actually say that. You can't debate the motion.

The Chair:

Oh, you can't debate it. Sorry.

It is actually debatable if people want to speak. There is a limit on the debate of three minutes.

Mr. Scott Reid:

For how long, just three minutes?

Mr. Brian Masse (Windsor West, NDP):

Do we have an indication of the reasons for going in camera? It's something I'd be willing to hear.

Mr. Chris Bittle:

It would be just to have a frank discussion. I think all the parties' positions have been on the table, but to get down to the nuts and bolts of where we're going from here on the legislation, we don't know. We can come out afterwards and everyone can put their position back on the record, but this would be just so that we can have a frank discussion about where we go from here.

Mr. Brian Masse:

Well, I'll speak to the motion.

The Chair:

Okay, go ahead.

Mr. Brian Masse:

I'll be opposing the motion. Prior to this existence here, I was a city councillor where they had specific guidelines in terms of going in camera, for property and personnel issues. Having been a member here for a number of years, I've witnessed our going in camera a number of times on different committees for different reasons, and I've never believed that it's helpful for the long term, so I'll be opposed to the motion.

The Chair:

Does anyone else want to speak to the motion?

Mr. Bittle, you get the last word, as per our procedures.

Mr. Chris Bittle:

I think I've put my position on the record.

(Motion agreed to)

The Chair:

We'll suspend for a minute while we switch to in camera.

[Proceedings continue in camera]