The committee met at 1400 in committee room 2.

Committee business

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Good afternoon, members. I would like to call the meeting of the interior standing committee to order.

As always, please wait to be recognized by myself before speaking. All questions and comments will need to go through the Chair.

On the agenda is committee business. Are there any motions? MPP Leardi.

Mr. Anthony Leardi: I move that the committee enter closed session for the purposes of organizing committee business.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Okay. Just one second—let’s put it on the screen first. Any comments? Any debate? Yes, go ahead, MPP Shaw.

Ms. Sandy Shaw: I just would like it to reflect in the record that I don’t understand why the government always goes into closed sessions when things should be open to the people of the province of Ontario. There’s really nothing in organizing business that should be held in secret session. I’d like it to reflect that I insist always, and will always insist, that committee meetings like this remain open to the public. They deserve to know what we are doing on behalf of them. So I’m opposed to this.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): MPP Sattler.

Ms. Peggy Sattler: I would also like to express my opposition to this motion. This is a public committee of the Legislature. The Legislature should be as transparent as possible in the way that we conduct the people’s business. There were many comments made during the debate on this legislation about the importance of getting it to committee. The process of determining how the committee is going to proceed should also be open to the public. So I am opposed to this motion.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Any further discussion? Debate? Okay. Now, I will put the question.

Ms. Peggy Sattler: Recorded vote.

Ayes

Bouma, Bresee, Dixon, Flack, Jordan, Leardi, Sarrazin.

Nays

Sattler, Shaw.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): The motion is carried.

Give us a few minutes.

The committee continued in closed session at 1405.

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)

Substitutions / Membres remplaçants

Mr. Will Bouma (Brantford–Brant PC)

Mr. John Jordan (Lanark–Frontenac–Kingston PC)

Ms. Peggy Sattler (London West / London-Ouest ND)

Clerk / Greffière

Ms. Thushitha Kobikrishna

Staff / Personnel

Ms. Pia Anthony Muttu, research officer,
Research Services