HAFF Committee Meeting

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 46

Thursday, May 29, 2003

The Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs met at 11:06 a.m. this day, in Room 112-N, Centre Block, the Chair, Peter Adams, presiding.

Members of the Committee present:  Peter Adams, Rick Borotsik, Marlene Catterall; Roger Cuzner; Joe Jordan, Lynn Myers, Carolyn Parrish, Geoff Regan and Jacques Saada.

Acting Members present:  Tony Tirabassi for Marlene Catterall (at 12:31 p.m.); Andy Savoy for Rodger Cuzner (at 12:25 p.m.); Mac Harb for Guy St-Julien; Alan Tonks for Guy St-Julien (at 11:49 a.m.); Ted White for Dale Johnston; Michel Gauthier for Michel Guimond; Bernard Bigras for Michel Guimond (at 12:51 p.m.); Dick Proctor for Yvon Godin.

Witnesses: From the Privy Council Office:  Michèle René de Cotret, Senior Privy Council Officer/Counsel, Legislation and House Planning/Counsel; Stéphane Perrault, Senior Counsel.

In attendance:  From the Library of Parliament:  James Robertson, Principal; John M. Wright, Research Assistant.  From the Committees Directorate:  Susan Baldwin, Legislative Clerk.

Pursuant to the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. E-3, the Committee commenced consideration of the matter of the objections to the report of the Electoral Boundaries Commission for Nova Scotia.

The Committee commenced consideration of the report of the Subcommittee on Electoral Boundaries Readjustment.

On motion of Mac Harb, it was agreed, - That the report of the Subcommittee be the report of the Committee and that the Chair do present it to the House.

Pursuant to its Order of Reference of Tuesday, March 18, 2003, the Committee resumed consideration of Bill C-24, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act and the Income Tax Act (political financing) (See Minutes of Proceedings, Thursday, April 3, 2003, Meeting No. 31).

The Committee resumed clause-by-clause consideration of the Bill.

On Clause 25,

The Committee resumed debate on the following amendment:

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 25, be amended by deleting lines 12 to 39 on page 29 and lines 1 to 15 on page 30.

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was negatived by a show of hands: YEAS: 3; NAYS: 9.

The Chair ruled that the following amendments were consequential to the previous amendment and therefore were also negatived:

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 23, be amended by replacing line 43 on page 18 and lines 1 to 7 on page 19 with the following:

“subsection 403.37(1); and

(c) a declaration in the prescribed form by the financial agent that the financial transactions return is complete and accurate.”

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 23, be amended by replacing lines 11 to 18 on page 19 with the following:

“the registered association;

(b) the number of contributors;

(c) the name and address of each contributor who made”

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 23, be amended by deleting lines 24 to 27 on page 19.

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 23, be amended by replacing lines 29 to 39 on page 20 with the following:

“the Receiver General, if the name of the contributor of a contribution of more than $10 or the name or address of a contributor having made contributions of a total amount of more than $200 is not known.”

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 24, be amended by deleting lines 25 to 43 on page 24 and lines 1 to 20 on page 25.

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 24, be amended by replacing lines 21 and 22 on page 26 with the following:

“received in accordance with section”

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 25, be amended by replacing line 32 on page 27 with the following:

“subsection 405(1), in effect for”

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 25, be amended by replacing lines 7 and 8 on page 28 with the following:

“(2) The amount set out in subsection 405(1) shall be multiplied by the”

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 25, be amended by replacing lines 12 and 13 on page 28 with the following:

“(a) in the case referred to in paragraph 405(1)(a), during”

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 25, be amended by replacing lines 31 and 32 on page 28 with the following:

“a limit set out in”

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 44, be amended by replacing lines 3 to 7 on page 57 with the following:

“(f) a statement of the contributions received by the candidate;”

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 44, be amended by replacing lines 35 to 38 on page 57 with the following:

“slips, cancelled cheques and the candidate's written statement”

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 45, be amended by replacing lines 4 to 9 on page 58 with the following:

“contribution of more than $10 or the name or address of a contributor having made contributions of a total amount of more than $200 is not known.”

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 57, be amended by replacing lines 8 to 13 on page 69 with the following:

“by the nomination contestant;

(e) the number of contributors;”

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 57, be amended by deleting lines 21 to 24 on page 69.

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 57, be amended by replacing lines 38 to 41 on page 69 with the following:

“deposit slips, cancelled cheques and the contestant's”

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 57, be amended by replacing lines 40 to 43 on page 70 and lines 1 to 7 on page 71 with the following:

“Receiver General, if the name of the contributor of a contribution of more than $10 or the name or the address of the contributor having made contributions of a total amount of more than $200 is not known.”

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 58, be amended by deleting lines 31 to 33 on page 86.

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 65, be amended by replacing line 4 on page 93 with the following:

“taken into account for the purpose of subsection 405(1) of the Cana-”

By unanimous consent, the Committee reverted to Clause 23.

Joe Jordan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 23, be amended

(a) by replacing, in the English version, line 43 on page 18 with the following:

“subsection 403.37(1); and”

(b) by replacing lines 3 to 7 on page 19 with the following:

“actions return is complete and accurate.”

By unanimous consent, the amendment was stood.

Geoff Regan moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 23, be amended by

(a) replacing lines 13 and 14 on page 19 with the following:

corporations, trade unions and associations referred to in subsection 405.3(3);

(b) replacing line 17 on page 19 with the following:

(b.1) in the case of a contributor that is an association referred to in subsection 405.3(3),

(i) the name and address of the association, the amount of its contribution and the date on which it was received by the registered association, and

(ii) the name and address of each individual whose money forms part of the contribution, the amount of money provided by that individual that is included in the contribution and the date on which it was provided to the association;

(c) the name and address of each other contributor

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted by a show of hands: YEAS: 9; NAYS: 2.

Ted White moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 23, be amended by replacing line 20 on page 19 with the following:

“$1,275 to the registered association, that total”

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was negatived by a show of hands: YEAS: 3; NAYS: 9.

The Chair ruled that the following amendments were consequential to the previous amendment and therefore were also negatived:

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 23, be amended by replacing line 37 on page 20 with the following:

“$1,275 or the name of the chief executive”

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 34, be amended by replacing line 8 on page 34 with the following:

“amount of more than $1,275 to the registered”

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 35, be amended by replacing line 3 on page 35 with the following:

“$1,275, is not known.”

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 40, be amended by replacing line 27 on page 47 with the following:

“more than $1,275 to the leadership contes-“

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 40, be amended by replacing line 26 on page 49 with the following:

“than $1,275, is not known.”

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 57, be amended by replacing line 16 on page 69 with the following:

“more than $1,275 to the nomination contes-“

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 57, be amended by replacing line 5 on page 71 with the following:

“$1,275 or the name of the chief executive”

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 71, be amended by replacing line 12 on page 95 with the following:

“more than $1,275 to the registered associa-“

Rick Borotsik moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 23, be amended by replacing line 20 on page 19 with the following:

“$500 to the registered association, that total”

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

Carolyn Parrish moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 23, be amended by adding after line 23 on page 19 the following:

“(c.1) in the case of an individual that is a contributor referred to in paragraph (c), the name of that contributor's employer, and any corporation or union executive of which the contributor is a director;”

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was negatived by a show of hands: YEAS: 3; NAYS: 8.

Rick Borotsik moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 23, be amended by deleting lines 42 to 45 on page 19 and lines 1 and 2 on page 20.

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was negatived by a show of hands: YEAS: 3; NAYS: 8.

Jacques Saada moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 23, be amended by replacing, in the French version, line 45 on page 19 with the following:

« à une autre association enregistrée ou à un candidat que »

The question being put on the amendment, it was adopted.

Dick Proctor moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 23, be amended by replacing line 11 on page 20 with the following:

“conditions on them;

(i.1) a statement that provides full disclosure of financial loans for the purposes of the campaign, including interest rates, repayment schedules and the name of the lender; and”

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was adopted by a show of hands: YEAS: 7; NAYS: 2.

Rick Borotsik moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 23, be amended by adding after line 23 on page 20 the following:

“(5) Party membership fees of $50 or less per person are not contributions to be registered.”

By unanimous consent, the amendment was stood.

At 12:36 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 12:39 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Ted White moved, -- That Bill C-24, in Clause 23, be amended by replacing line 34 on page 20 with the following:

“contribution of more than $50, the name or”

By unanimous consent, the amendment was stood.

By unanimous consent, the following amendments were stood:

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 23, be amended by replacing line 34 on page 20 with the following:

“contribution of more than $25, the name or”

-- That Bill C-24, in Clause 23, be amended by replacing line 37 on page 20 with the following:

“$500 or the name of the chief executive”

By unanimous consent, clause 23 was stood.

At 12:59 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Jean-Michel Roy

Committee Clerk