ETHI Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics met at 3:33 p.m. this day, in Room 269, West Block, the Chair, Paul Szabo, presiding.

The Committee resumed consideration of the motion of Charles Hubbard, — That the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics investigate the actions of the Conservative Party of Canada during the 2006 election, in relation to which Elections Canada has refused to reimburse Conservative candidates for certain election campaign expenses in order to determine if these actions meet the ethical standards expected of public office holders;

And of the amendment of Dave Van Kesteren, — That the motion be amended by adding after the words “public office holders” the following: “and should the Committee find in their investigations similar ethical practices by other parties, the Committee will broaden their investigations to include the study of these ethical practices and make recommendations to Elections Canada as to whether theses ethical practices ought to be continued”;

And of the subamendment of David Tilson, — That the motion be amended by adding after the words “by other parties,” the following: “or in past elections”.

Russ Hiebert moved, — That the orders of the day be reversed.

The question was put on the motion and it was negatived.

Debate resumed on the subamendment of David Tilson.

Dave Van Kesteren moved, — That the Committee do now adjourn.

The question was put on the motion and the result of the vote was announced: YEAS: Ken Epp, Russ Hiebert, Pierre Poilievre, Dave Van Kesteren, Mike Wallace — 5; NAYS: Sukh Dhaliwal, Charles Hubbard, Carole Lavallée, Réal Ménard, Glen Douglas Pearson — 5.

Whereupon, the Chair voted in the negative.

Accordingly, the motion was negatived.

Debate resumed on the subamendment of David Tilson.

It was agreed, — That the Committee adjourn until Thursday, June 19, 2008.

At 5:31 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.