The committee met at 0900 in room 151.

Appointment of Vice-Chair

The Chair (Mr. Ernie Hardeman): Good morning. I call the meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs to order. We will move to our first item of business, the appointment of a Vice-Chair. As a reminder to all members, standing order 119(d) states that when there are two recognized parties where the Chair of the standing committee is a member of the party forming the government, the Vice-Chair shall be a member of a recognized party in opposition to the government or an independent member.

It is now my duty to entertain a motion for the appointment of a Vice-Chair. MPP Crawford.

Mr. Stephen Crawford: Great to be back here in Toronto after travelling across the province with the finance committee.

I move that Catherine Fife be appointed Vice-Chair.

The Chair (Mr. Ernie Hardeman): Thank you. A motion has been moved by MPP Crawford to appoint MPP Fife as Vice-Chair of the committee. Is there any debate? Are the members ready to vote? All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried. Congratulations. MPP Fife is Vice-Chair.

We will now recess for a brief moment so we can switch to a closed meeting to start the process of considering our report.

The committee recessed at 0902 and later continued in closed session.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON FINANCE AND ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

Chair / Président

Mr. Ernie Hardeman (Oxford PC)

Vice-Chair / Vice-Présidente

Ms. Catherine Fife (Waterloo ND)

Mr. Deepak Anand (Mississauga–Malton PC)

Ms. Doly Begum (Scarborough Southwest / Scarborough-Sud-Ouest ND)

Ms. Stephanie Bowman (Don Valley West / Don Valley-Ouest L)

Ms. Bobbi Ann Brady (Haldimand–Norfolk IND)

Mr. Rick Byers (Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound PC)

Mr. Stephen Crawford (Oakville PC)

Mr. Rudy Cuzzetto (Mississauga–Lakeshore PC)

Mr. Andrew Dowie (Windsor–Tecumseh PC)

Ms. Catherine Fife (Waterloo ND)

Mr. Ernie Hardeman (Oxford PC)

Mr. David Smith (Scarborough Centre / Scarborough-Centre PC)

Ms. Effie J. Triantafilopoulos (Oakville North–Burlington / Oakville-Nord–Burlington PC)

Substitutions / Membres remplaçants

Mr. Aris Babikian (Scarborough–Agincourt PC)

Mr. Rick Byers (Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound PC)

Clerk / Greffière

Ms. Vanessa Kattar

Staff / Personnel

Mr. Alex Alton, research officer,
Research Services

Ms. Heather Conklin, research officer,
Research Services