About

44th Parliament, 1st Session
(November 22, 2021 - Present)
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At the beginning of the 44th Parliament, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology was renamed the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry and Technology to reflect the creation of the new House of Commons Standing Committee on Science and Research.

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry and Technology studies and reports on legislation and the activities and spending of the members of the Innovation and Economic Development portfolio, and other issues related to:

  • innovation, industry and technology capability;
  • telecommunications and digital policy;
  • intellectual property;
  • investment, competition, trade, small business and tourism; and
  • rules and services that support the effective operation of the marketplace.
The Innovation and Economic Development portfolio is comprised of the Department of Industry and of the following organizations:

The following organizations are also associated with the Innovation and Economic Development portfolio of the Department of Industry:

In the execution of its functions, each committee is normally assisted by a committee clerk, one or more analysts and a committee assistant. Occasional assistance is also provided by legislative clerks and lawyers from the Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel. These individuals are non-partisan and serve all members of the committee and representatives of all parties equally.

Committee Clerk

The clerk performs their duties and responsibilities under the direction of the committee and its Chair. As an expert in the rules of the House of Commons, the clerk may be requested to give advice to the Chair and members of the committee should a question of procedure arise. The clerk is the coordinator, organizer and liaison officer for the committee, and as such will be in frequent contact with members’ staff. They are also responsible to invite witnesses and dealing with all the details regarding their appearance before the committee.

Committee Assistant

The committee assistant provides a wide range of specialized administrative services for the organization of committee meetings and the publishing of documents on the committee’s Website. The committee assistant works with the clerk to meet the needs of the committee.

Committee Analyst

The Library of Parliament’s analysts, who are subject-matter experts, provide authoritative, substantive, and timely research, analysis and information to all members of the committee. They are part of the committee’s institutional memory and are a unique resource for parliamentarians. Supported by research librarians, the analysts work individually or in multidisciplinary teams.

Analysts can prepare: briefing notes on the subjects being examined; detailed study plans; lists of proposed witnesses; analyses of an issue with a list of suggested questions; background papers; draft reports; news releases; and/or formal correspondence. Analysts with legal training can assist the committee regarding any substantive issues that may arise during the consideration of bills.

OTHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE AS REQUIRED

Parliamentary Counsel

Within the Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel, parliamentary counsel (Legislation) are available to assist members who are not in Cabinet with the preparation of private members’ bills or of amendments to government bills or others.

At various stages of the legislative process, members may propose amendments to bills. Amendments may first be proposed at the committee stage, during a committee’s clause-by-clause review of a bill. Amendments may also be proposed at the report stage, once a bill returns to the House.

Once a bill is sent to committee, the clerk of the committee provides the name of the Parliamentary Counsel (Legislation) responsible for the drafting of the amendments for a particular bill to the members.

Legislative Clerk

The legislative clerk serves all members of the committee as a specialist of the process by which a bill becomes law. They are available to give, upon request from members and their staff, advice on the admissibility of amendments when bills are referred to committee. The legislative clerk organizes the amendments into packages for committee stage, reviews all the committee amendments for procedural admissibility and prepares draft rulings for the Chair. During clause-by-clause consideration of bills in committee, a legislative clerk is in attendance to assist the committee with any procedural issues that may arise. The legislative clerk can also provide members with advice regarding the procedural admissibility of report stage amendments. When a bill is sent to committee, the clerk of the committee provides to the members the name of the legislative clerk assigned to the bill.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO)

The Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) is an officer of Parliament created by the Parliament of Canada Act who supports Parliament by providing analysis, including analysis of macroeconomic and fiscal policy, for the purposes of raising the quality of parliamentary debate and promoting greater budget transparency and accountability.

The Parliament of Canada Act also provides the PBO with a mandate to, if requested by a committee, estimate the financial cost of any proposal over which Parliament has jurisdiction. Certain committees can also request research and analyses of the nation’s finances or economy, or of the estimates.

Further information on the PBO may be found at: http://www.pbo-dpb.gc.ca/en/

During the 43rd Parliament, the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology held meetings on a variety of topics, including fraudulent calls in Canada, the Investment Canada Act and the accessibility and affordability of telecommunications services in Canada.

The Committee has undertaken several studies in recent years. Some notable reports include the following:

  • Report 7 – Affordability and Accessibility of Telecommunications Services in Canada: Encouraging Competition to (Finally) Bridge the Digital Divide, 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session

    During this study, the Committee found that despite large investments in the past years, expanding broadband Internet service in Canada still faces many barriers. In its report, it noted that “while broadband Internet connectivity has improved in recent years, … there is still a major digital divide between urban areas and rural and remote regions.” It notably recommended that the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission establish an affordability standard for telecommunications services across Canada and that the Government of Canada improve the accessibility of its broadband funding programs.

  • Report 5 – Investment Canada Act: Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and facilitating Canada's Recovery, 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session

    In this report, noting an evolving international context, the Committee remarked that while the Investment Canada Act remains strong in many aspects, it would benefit from a more cautious, responsive, and transparent approach to regulating foreign investments. The Committee notably recommended that the federal government introduce legislation to ensure that any prospective acquisition of a Canadian business by a state-owned or -controlled enterprise trigger both a net benefit review and a national security review.

This report concerns the review required by section 92 of the Copyright Act. During this review, the Committee heard 263 witnesses, accepted 192 briefs and received over 6,000 emails and other types of correspondence. Through its 36 recommendations, the report covers a wide range of topics, including the protection of traditional arts and cultural expressions, a termination right for creators, the fair dealing exception, safe harbour provisions for Internet service and online service providers, collective rights management, and the Act’s review process itself.

During this study, the Committee found that expanding broadband Internet service in Canada faces many barriers, especially in rural regions, where it is less cost-effective. To facilitate broadband expansion, the report recommended that the federal government review the spectrum allocation process to improve access for all types of providers and that it work with key stakeholders to develop a national broadband strategy.

In this report, the Committee reviewed the causes and consequences of the job losses in Canada’s manufacturing sector and examined ways to improve it. The Committee noted that disruptive technologies (such as robotics and artificial intelligence) could help the sector grow, if it can adapt quickly. The report recommended that the federal government develop a strategy for the Canadian manufacturing sector that is based on the report’s recommendations and has clear objectives.