ETHI Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics met at 3:31 p.m. this day, in Room 112-N Centre Block, the Chair, David Chatters, presiding.

The Chair presented the First Report of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure which read as follows:

The Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics met on Tuesday, October 26, 2004, and agreed to recommend the following:

1. That the Committee hold the following meetings:

(1) A meeting with the Information Commissioner of Canada on Vote 40 (Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada) of the Main Estimates 2004-2005 under JUSTICE and on the Commissioner’s Annual Report 2003-2004;

(2) A meeting with the Privacy Commissioner of Canada on Vote 45 (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada) of the Main Estimates 2004-2005 under JUSTICE and on the Commissioner’s Annual Report 2003-2004 after the tabling of the report in November;

(3) A meeting with the Ethics Commissioner after the mandate of the Committee has been adopted by the House.

2. That the Committee choose one of the following options regarding the distribution of documents:

(A) That the Clerk of the Committee be authorized to distribute documents only after they have been translated and made available in both official languages; and that the Chair be authorized to inform the witnesses of this protocol; or

(B) That the Clerk of the Committee be authorized to distribute to the members of the Committee documents only when they exist in both official languages and that no document from a witness be distributed without the Clerk's approval.

On motion of Derek Lee, it was agreed, — That the Committee hold a meeting with the Information Commissioner of Canada on Vote 40 (Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada) of the Main Estimates 2004-2005 under JUSTICE and on the Commissioner’s Annual Report 2003-2004.

On motion of Derek Lee, it was agreed, — That the Committee hold a meeting with the Privacy Commissioner of Canada on Vote 45 (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada) of the Main Estimates 2004-2005 under JUSTICE and on the Commissioner’s Annual Report 2003-2004 after the tabling of the report in November.

On motion of Marlene Jennings, it was agreed, — That the Committee hold a meeting with the Ethics Commissioner after the mandate of the Committee has been adopted by the House.

Mario Laframboise moved, — That the Clerk of the Committee be authorized to distribute to the members of the Committee documents only when they exist in both official languages and that no document from a witness be distributed without the Clerk's approval.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 2; NAYS: 8.

Derek Lee moved, — That the Clerk of the Committee be authorized to distribute documents only after they have been translated and made available in both official languages; and that the Chair be authorized to inform the witnesses of this protocol.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 7; NAYS: 2.

David Tilson moved, — That whenever the Main Estimates or Supplementary Estimates are referred to the Committee, the Committee invite the Minister and any relevant Senior Officials of a Department to appear at a meeting of the Committee and, if possible, that it be televised; and

That whenever a Chapter of a Report of the Auditor General refers to a subject under the mandate of the Committee, the Committee study the matter and invite officials of the Office of the Auditor General of Canada and any relevant Senior Officials of a Department to appear at a meeting of the Committee and, if possible, that it be televised.

It was agreed, — That the first paragraph of the motion be amended by adding after the word: "Minister" the words: "or Commissioner".

It was agreed, — That the second paragraph of the motion be amended by replacing the words: "a Chapter of a Report of the Auditor General" with the words: "a Report of the Auditor General and/or a review agency" .

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

At 4:13 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.