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ETHI Committee Meeting

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Minutes of Proceedings

44th Parliament, 1st Session
Meeting 117
Thursday, May 9, 2024, 11:04 a.m. to 2:01 p.m.
Webcast
Presiding
John Brassard, Chair (Conservative)

Library of Parliament
• Alexandra Savoie, Analyst
• Maxime-Olivier Thibodeau, Analyst
Offices of the Information and Privacy Commissioners of Canada
• Philippe Dufresne, Privacy Commissioner of Canada
• Richard Roulx, Deputy Commissioner, Corporate Management Sector
Pursuant to Standing Order 81(4), the committee resumed consideration of the Main Estimates 2024-25: Vote 1 under Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying, Vote 1 under Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Vote 1 under Office of the Senate Ethics Officer, Votes 1 and 5 under Offices of the Information and Privacy Commissioners of Canada, referred to the committee on Thursday, February 29, 2024.

Philippe Dufresne made a statement and answered questions.

By unanimous consent, the Chair called Vote 1 under Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying, Vote 1 under Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Vote 1 under Office of the Senate Ethics Officer, Votes 1 and 5 under Offices of the Information and Privacy Commissioners of Canada.

Vote 1 under Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying, Vote 1 under Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Vote 1 under Office of the Senate Ethics Officer, Votes 1 and 5 under Offices of the Information and Privacy Commissioners of Canada, less the amounts voted in the interim supply carried on division.

ORDERED, — That the Chair report Vote 1 under Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying, Vote 1 under Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Vote 1 under Office of the Senate Ethics Officer, Votes 1 and 5 under Offices of the Information and Privacy Commissioners of Canada, less the amounts voted in the interim supply, to the House.

At 12:05 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 12:31 p.m., the sitting resumed.

The committee proceeded to the consideration of matters related to committee business.

At 1:18 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 1:30 p.m., the sitting resumed [in camera/in public].

Motion

Iqra Khalid moved, —

That, given the comments of the Leader of the Opposition last week in which he suggested he would use the notwithstanding clause if given the chance, and previous statements that the Conservative Party of Canada would require a digital ID to access content on the Internet, the committee report to the House that the committee:

(a) Recognizes the importance of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to protect the rights of all Canadians, including the right to privacy; and

(b) Opposes the federal Parliament’s use of the notwithstanding clause in all instances.

RULING BY THE CHAIR

The Chair ruled the motion inadmissible.

Whereupon, Iqra Khalid appealed the decision of the Chair.

The question: "Shall the decision of the Chair be sustained?" was put and the decision was overturned on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Michael Barrett, Larry Brock, Damien C. Kurek — 3;

NAYS: Parm Bains, Pam Damoff, Darren Fisher, Matthew Green, Anthony Housefather, Iqra Khalid, René Villemure — 7.

Debate arose on the motion moved by Iqra Khalid.

Amendment

Damien C. Kurek moved, — That the motion be amended by deleting the words “given the comments of the Leader of the Opposition last week in which he suggested he would use the notwithstanding clause if given the chance, and previous statements that the Conservative Party of Canada would require a digital ID to access content on the Internet” and the words “(b) Opposes the federal Parliament’s use of the notwithstanding clause in all instances”.

The Chair ruled the amendment admissible.

Whereupon, Anthony Housefather appealed the decision of the Chair.

The question: "Shall the decision of the Chair be sustained?" was put and the decision was overturned on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Michael Barrett, Larry Brock, Damien C. Kurek, René Villemure — 4;

NAYS: Parm Bains, Pam Damoff, Darren Fisher, Matthew Green, Anthony Housefather, Iqra Khalid — 6.

The debate continued on the motion moved by Iqra Khalid.

Motion

Michael Barrett moved, — That the committee do now adjourn.

The question was put on the motion and it was negatived on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Michael Barrett, Larry Brock, Damien C. Kurek, René Villemure — 4;

NAYS: Parm Bains, Pam Damoff, Peter Fragiskatos, Matthew Green, Anthony Housefather, Iqra Khalid — 6.

The debate continued on the motion moved by Iqra Khalid

At 2:01 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.



Nancy Vohl
Clerk of the committee