— ORDERED: That a message be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that house that the Senate has adopted the following motion:
That, pursuant to subsection 5(1) of An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying), S.C. 2021, c.2, a Special Joint Committee of the Senate and the House of Commons be appointed to review the provisions of the Criminal Code relating to medical assistance in dying and their application, including but not limited to issues relating to mature minors, advance requests, mental illness, the state of palliative care in Canada and the protection of Canadians with disabilities;
That, pursuant to subsection 5(2) of the Act, five members of the Senate and ten members of the House of Commons be members of the committee, with two chairs of which the House Joint Chair shall be from the governing party and the Senate Joint Chair shall be determined pursuant to rule 12-13(1) of the Rules of the Senate;
That, in addition to the joint chairs, there be one deputy chair from the Senate and three vice-chairs from the House;
That the five senators to be members of the committee be named after consultations and agreement between the Leader of the Government in the Senate, the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and the leader or facilitator of any other recognized party or recognized parliamentary group in the Senate, by means of a notice signed by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and the leader or facilitator of any other recognized party or recognized parliamentary group in the Senate, and filed with the Clerk of the Senate no later than the end of the day on April 23, 2021, with the names of the senators named as members being recorded in the Journals of the Senate;
That, pursuant to subsection 5(3) of the Act, the quorum of the committee be eight members whenever a vote, resolution or other decision is taken, so long as both Houses are represented and that one member of the governing party in the House, one member from the opposition in the House and one member of the Senate are present;
That the Joint Chairs be authorized to hold meetings, to receive evidence and authorize the publication thereof, whenever six members are present, so long as both Houses are represented and that one member of the governing party in the House, one member from the opposition in the House and one member of the Senate are present;
That, notwithstanding any provisions of the Rules, previous orders or usual practice, and taking into account the exceptional circumstances of the current pandemic of COVID-19, until the end of the day on June 23, 2021:
1. the committee be authorized to hold hybrid meetings or meetings entirely by videoconference;
2. such meetings be considered, for all purposes, to be meetings of the committee, and senators taking part in such meetings be considered, for all purposes, to be present at the meeting;
3. that for greater certainty, when the committee holds a hybrid meeting or meets entirely by videoconference:
(a) all members of the committee participating count towards quorum;
(b) such meetings be considered to be occurring in the parliamentary precinct; and
(c) the committee be directed to approach in camera meetings with all necessary precaution, taking account of the risks to confidentiality inherent in such technologies; and
4. subject to variations that may be required by the circumstances, to participate in a hybrid meeting or a meeting entirely by videoconference senators must:
(a) use a desktop or laptop computer and headphones with integrated microphone provided by one or the other house for videoconferences;
(b) not use other devices such as personal tablets or smartphones;
(c) be the only people visible on the videoconference;
(d) have their video on and broadcasting their image at all times; and
(e) leave the videoconference if they leave their seat;
That the committee have the power to sit during sittings and adjournments of the Senate;
That the committee have the power to report from time to time, to send for persons, papers and records, and to publish such papers and evidence as may be ordered by the committee;
That the committee have the power to retain the services of expert, professional, technical and clerical staff, including legal counsel;
That the committee have the power to authorize video and audio broadcasting of any or all its proceedings and that public proceedings be made available to the public via the Parliament of Canada’s websites;
That, pursuant to subsection 5(5) of the Act, the committee submit a final report of its review, including a statement of any recommended changes, to Parliament no later than one year after the day on which it commenced the review; and
That, pursuant to subsection 5(6) of the Act, following the tabling of the final report in both Houses, the committee shall expire.