HAFF Committee News Release

N E W S   R E L E A S E

ALL COMMITTEES OPEN TO T.V. EXPERIMENT EXTENDED

Ottawa, February 14, 2002

Provisional rules that allow the broadcasting of committee meetings by the electronic media have been extended by the House of Commons to June 30, 2002.  The Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs hopes that more experience and time will allow the House to be in a better position to decide whether the guidelines for such broadcasting should be made permanent.

The rules allow the electronic media to videotape (and broadcast) public committee proceedings on Parliament Hill on the basis of certain rules and guidelines. Videotaping or filming must be on a gavel-to-gavel basis or until there is a “natural break” in the proceedings.  The cameras must not disrupt or interfere with the proceedings:  they must be in fixed positions, there are limits on the numbers of cameras, and existing lighting and sound must be used.  Reasonable notice of the intent to record a meeting must be given to the committee, and it will be open to the committee to determine what is reasonable in the circumstances.  

So long as these rules are observed, the media are entitled to film any public committee meeting, and committees do not have the right to refuse them access to the proceedings.  In the event that a copy of the recording is required for a parliamentary purpose, a request may be made, throughthe Speaker, for the original tape.  The broadcasters have agreed to retain the tapes for a period of 35 days.

These rules do not affect committees meeting in any other room on Parliament Hill where there is videotaping by the House of Commons Broadcast Unit.  Meetings in these rooms will continue to be taped by House personnel, on a gavel-to-gavel basis, and will be made available for broadcast by CPAC, and the feed will be available for use by the electronic media.

These rules were originally adopted on an experimental basis by the House of Commons on May 2001, and were due to expire on December 31, 2001.  One of the reasons for extending the trial period to the end of June 2002 is to ensure that the rules were given a reasonable opportunity to work, and to gather sufficient experience to enable the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs to recommend whether they should be made permanent.

Speaking on behalf of the Committee, its chair, Peter Adams, M.P. (Peterborough), said: “The Committee believes that these rules are fair and reasonable, and carefully balance the interests of Members, the media, and the general public.  We further believe that they provide unique opportunities for committees to publicize their work in a way that will enhance the role of committees, MPs, and the House of Commons.  We believe that these new rules provide an opportunity to raise public awareness of the work that is done in committees, and to enhance the role and importance of committee work.  We urge committees to welcome members of the media to their meetings and explore opportunities to have their proceedings broadcast.”

The Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs will be closely monitoring the implementation of the rules.  It is required to evaluate and assess the experimental guidelines by May 30, 2002, and report to the House of Commons. 

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For further information:

Peter Adams, M.P.,

Chair, Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs

Tel: (613) 995-6411