ETHI Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics met in a televised session at 10:10 a.m. this day, in Room 237-C, Centre Block, the Chair, Paul Szabo, presiding.

Marc Mayrand made a statement and answered questions.

At 10:50 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 11:03 a.m., the sitting resumed.

Pat Martin moved, — That, at the conclusion of this round of questioning, that is, after the next Conservative Member speaks, the Committee excuse Mr. Mayrand, thank him for his presentation, and move on to the selection of witnesses and the other orders of business properly before the Committee.

Pierre Poilievre moved, — That the motion be amended by replacing the words “at the conclusion of this round of questioning, that is, after the next Conservative Member speaks” with the following: “after eight more rounds of questioning”.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Pierre Poilievre and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 5; NAYS: 6.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 6; NAYS: 4.

Pierre Poilievre moved, — That the Committee proceed to the consideration of Mr. Reid's motion moved on July 15, 2008.

The question was put on the motion and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 5; NAYS: 6.

At 1:20 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 2:10 p.m., the sitting resumed.

RULING BY THE CHAIR

That the names Touché Marketing, Lucy Ladouceur, Libby Davies, David Christopherson, Rick Limoges, Jean Paul Marchand, Lorraine Godin, Janine Boileau and Marc Lemay be removed from the suggested witness list as the reasons for inviting them are outside the scope of the Committee's study.

Whereupon, Marlene Jennings appealed the decision of the Chair.

The question: "Shall the decision of the Chair be sustained?" was put and the decision was sustained on the following recorded division: YEAS: Sukh Dhaliwal, Charles Hubbard, Marlene Jennings, Carole Lavallée, Pat Martin, Richard Nadeau — 6; NAYS: Pierre Poilievre, David Tilson — 2.

Pat Martin moved, — That the name Robin Sears be removed from the proposed witness list; that the list, as amended, be agreed to; and that the Chair be authorized to begin inviting and scheduling the witnesses to appear during the week of August 11, 2008.

Marlene Jennings moved, — That the motion be amended by adding after the words “Robin Sears” the following names: “Jean Landry and Lise Vallières”; and by adding after the words “August 11, 2008” the following: “; and that the Chair be authorized, at his discretion, to summon any witness, who may be summoned, who refuses the Committee's invitation to appear”.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Marlene Jennings and it was agreed to on the following recorded division: YEAS: Sukh Dhaliwal, Charles Hubbard, Marlene Jennings, Carole Lavallée, Pat Martin, Richard Nadeau — 6; NAYS: Gary Goodyear, Pierre Poilievre, Scott Reid, David Tilson — 4.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to on the following recorded division: YEAS: Sukh Dhaliwal, Charles Hubbard, Marlene Jennings, Carole Lavallée, Pat Martin, Richard Nadeau — 6; NAYS: Gary Goodyear, Pierre Poilievre, Scott Reid, David Tilson — 4.

Marlene Jennings moved, — That the Committee do now adjourn.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 6; NAYS: 0.

At 3:55 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.