PROC Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs met in a televised session at 10:59 a.m. this day, in Room 253-D, Centre Block, the Chair, Joe Preston, presiding.

Brad Trost made a statement and answered questions.

At 11:43 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 11:46 a.m., the sitting resumed.

Scott Reid made a statement and answered questions.

At 12:31 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 1:16 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Tom Lukiwski moved, — That, in light of the discrepancies between the evidence of the Leader of the Official Opposition and the documents produced in response to the Committee’s Order of Tuesday, May 6, 2014, the Committee continue its study, pursuant to its Order of Reference of Thursday, March 27, 2014, on the matter of accusations of the Official Opposition’s improper use of House of Commons resources for partisan purposes;

That, in view of the evidence adduced to date, the Committee expand its study, if further evidence warrants, to topics incidental to matters relating to the election of Members to the House of Commons, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(a)(vi);

That the Committee accept the request of the Board of Internal Economy of Wednesday, May 14, 2014, to provide it and the Speaker with a report, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(a)(i), in addition to any report the Committee may provide to the House in relation to this study;

That the Committee invite additional witnesses, including, but not limited to, the Member for Saint Maurice-Champlain and the Clerk of the House of Commons, to appear in relation to this study; and

That the Clerk of the Committee advise the Leader of the Official Opposition that the Committee is prepared to recall him to appear as a witness, if necessary, following further evidence adduced during this study, provided that it shall be deemed to be a continuation of his appearance on Thursday, May 15, 2014.

Debate arose thereon.

Ted Opitz moved, — That the motion be amended by replacing the words “That the Committee invite additional witnesses, including, but not limited to, the Member for Saint Maurice-Champlain and the Clerk of the House of Commons, to appear in relation to this study; and” with the words:

“That the Committee invite the Clerk of the House of Commons to appear at her earliest convenience, along with any additional staff necessary to assist in answering the Committee’s questions;

That the Committee consider, after the Clerk’s appearance, whether to schedule additional witnesses to appear in relation to this study;

That the Committee is unsatisfied with the New Democratic Party’s return to the Committee’s Order of , Tuesday, May 6, 2014, respecting the production of lease documents, and, therefore, the Committee demand that the New Democratic Party produce, within two business days of the adoption of this Order, a signed and completed version of the Party’s sublease of suite 300 at 4428 boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montréal, and that the Clerk of the Committee request that Smart & Co. Group Canada Inc. furnish copies of its lease and sublease contracts, applying to the period from May 3, 2011, until the day this Order is adopted, pertaining to suite 300 at 4428 boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montréal; and”.

The question was put on the amendment of Ted Opitz and it was agreed to on the following recorded division: YEAS: Brad Butt, Randy Hoback, Kevin Lamoureux, Tom Lukiwski, Dave MacKenzie, Ted Opitz — 6; NAYS: David Christopherson, Alexandrine Latendresse, Craig Scott — 3.

Debate continued.

David Christopherson moved, — That all the words following 'That' be replaced with “the Committee commence a study into the mailing program of all Members and Caucus's, specifically into the nature of the subject matter being mailed, how such material is deemed to be within the Parliamentary functions of a Member (as defined in the By-Laws of the House of Commons) and that the membership of the Board of Internal Economy of the House of Commons be invited as witnesses for this study.

The Chair ruled the proposed amendment inadmissible as it was irrelevant to the motion which it seeks to amend, as provided on page 533 of House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Second Edition.

Whereupon, David Christopherson 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: Brad Butt, Randy Hoback, Kevin Lamoureux, Tom Lukiwski, Dave MacKenzie, Ted Opitz — 6; NAYS: David Christopherson, Alexandrine Latendresse, Craig Scott — 3.

Debate continued.

David Christopherson gave notice of the following motion:

That, in conjunction with the Order of Reference from the House of Commons of Thursday, March 27, 2014, the Committee also conduct a study into the policies by which the Board of Internal Economy allocate payment of any legal fees for Members of Parliament, including those who are alleged to have committed offences in their role as candidates (ie: before becoming Members of Parliament), and that the Committee invite the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Government Leader in the House of Commons, the Chief Government Whip, the Member from Yellowhead and the Member from Beauséjour to appear as witnesses for this study.

After debate, the question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to on the following recorded division: YEAS: Brad Butt, Blaine Calkins, Kevin Lamoureux, Tom Lukiwski, Dave MacKenzie, Ted Opitz — 6; NAYS: David Christopherson, Alexandrine Latendresse, Craig Scott — 3.

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

That, in light of the discrepancies between the evidence of the Leader of the Official Opposition and the documents produced in response to the Committee’s Order of Tuesday, May 6, 2014, the Committee continue its study, pursuant to its Order of Reference of Thursday, March 27, 2014, on the matter of accusations of the Official Opposition’s improper use of House of Commons resources for partisan purposes;

That, in view of the evidence adduced to date, the Committee expand its study, if further evidence warrants, to topics incidental to matters relating to the election of Members to the House of Commons, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(a)(vi);

That the Committee accept the request of the Board of Internal Economy of Wednesday, May 14, 2014, to provide it and the Speaker with a report, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(a)(i), in addition to any report the Committee may provide to the House in relation to this study;

That the Committee invite the Clerk of the House of Commons to appear at her earliest convenience, along with any additional staff necessary to assist in answering the Committee’s questions;

That the Committee consider, after the Clerk’s appearance, whether to schedule additional witnesses to appear in relation to this study;

That the Committee is unsatisfied with the New Democratic Party’s return to the Committee’s Order of May 6, 2014, respecting the production of lease documents, and, therefore, the Committee demand that the New Democratic Party produce, within two business days of the adoption of this Order, a signed and completed version of the Party’s sublease of suite 300 at 4428 boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montréal, and that the Clerk of the Committee request that Smart & Co. Group Canada Inc. furnish copies of its lease and sublease contracts, applying to the period from May 3, 2011, until the day this Order is adopted, pertaining to suite 300 at 4428 boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montréal; and

That the Clerk of the Committee advise the Leader of the Official Opposition that the Committee is prepared to recall him to appear as a witness, if necessary, following further evidence adduced during this study, provided that it shall be deemed to be a continuation of his appearance on Thursday, May 15, 2014.

At 2:18 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.