The committee met at 1401 in committee room 2.

Election of Chair

The Clerk of the Committee (Ms. Thushitha Kobikrishna): Good afternoon, honourable members. It is my duty to call upon you to elect a Chair. Are there any nominations?

Mr. Dave Smith: I nominate Mr. Babikian as Chair of the committee.

The Clerk of the Committee (Ms. Thushitha Kobikrishna): Does the member accept the nomination?

Mr. Aris Babikian: I do.

The Clerk of the Committee (Ms. Thushitha Kobikrishna): Are there any further nominations? There being no further nominations, I declare the nominations closed and MPP Babikian elected Chair of the committee. You may take your seat.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Thank you, colleagues, for your trust and confidence. I will need your co-operation to manage the committee’s affairs. I will try to be fair and follow the regulations and do my best. Thank you very much to all of you for your vote of confidence.

Election of Vice-Chair

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Our next item on the agenda is the election of the Vice-Chair. Are there any nominations?

Interjection.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Okay. You have to be a little bit more patient before you nominate your candidate.

Before asking for any motions, I would like to remind the honourable members that standing order 119(d) notes: “When there are two recognized parties, where the Chair of a 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; and where the Chair is a member of a recognized party in opposition to the government, the Vice-Chair shall be a member of the party forming the government.”

It is now my duty to entertain a motion for Vice-Chair. Are there any nominations? MPP Smith.

Mr. Dave Smith: I move that Mr. Schreiner be appointed as Vice-Chair of the committee.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): A motion has been moved by MPP Smith to nominate Mr. Schreiner. Is there any debate?

Interjection.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Okay. The Clerk will put the motion—it will be on the screen very shortly.

We have the motion.

Is there any debate? I see none, so I’m going to put the question. All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. The motion is carried.

Appointment of subcommittee

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Moving on to our next item of business: It is now my duty to entertain a motion for appointment of the subcommittee on committee business. Are there any motions? MPP Smith.

Mr. Dave Smith: I move that a subcommittee on committee business be appointed to meet from time to time at the call of the Chair or at the request of any member thereof, to consider and report to the committee on the business of the committee;

That the presence of all members of the subcommittee is necessary to constitute a meeting;

That the subcommittee be composed of the following members: the Chair as Chair, MPP Yakabuski and MPP Stiles; and

That substitution be permitted on the subcommittee.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): A motion has been moved by MPP Smith. Is there any debate on MPP Smith’s motion? I see none, so I’m going to put the question. Are the members ready to vote? All those in favour? Any opposition? I see none. The motion is carried.

Thank you, everyone. We will now move into closed session for a briefing by the committee staff. We will recess for five minutes before beginning.

The committee recessed at 1408 and later continued in closed session.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE INTERIOR

Chair / Président

Mr. Aris Babikian (Scarborough–Agincourt PC)

Vice-Chair / Vice-Président

Mr. Mike Schreiner (Guelph G)

Mr. Aris Babikian (Scarborough–Agincourt PC)

Mr. Ric Bresee (Hastings–Lennox and Addington PC)

Ms. Jess Dixon (Kitchener South–Hespeler / Kitchener-Sud–Hespeler PC)

Mr. Rob Flack (Elgin–Middlesex–London PC)

Ms. Mitzie Hunter (Scarborough–Guildwood L)

Mr. Anthony Leardi (Essex PC)

Mr. Stéphane Sarrazin (Glengarry–Prescott–Russell PC)

Mr. Mike Schreiner (Guelph G)

Ms. Sandy Shaw (Hamilton West–Ancaster–Dundas / Hamilton-Ouest–Ancaster–Dundas ND)

Mr. Dave Smith (Peterborough–Kawartha PC)

Ms. Marit Stiles (Davenport ND)

Mr. John Yakabuski (Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke PC)

Clerk / Greffière

Ms. Thushitha Kobikrishna

Staff / Personnel

Ms. Pia Anthony Muttu, research officer,
Research Services