Legislative Assembly of Ontario

The committee met at 1300 in room 151.

Committee business

The Chair (Ms. Jennifer K. French): Good afternoon, everyone. The Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs will now come to order. We’re here this afternoon to consider committee business. Does any member have a motion that they would like to move? MPP Rae.

Mr. Matthew Rae: I move that the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs consult the recognized party whips or House leaders for a list of which members to appoint to each standing committee when a vacancy occurs, and consider independent member requests, via letter to the Chair and Clerk, on a case-by-case basis.

The Chair (Ms. Jennifer K. French): Is there any debate on the motion?

Miss Monique Taylor: I just have a question.

The Chair (Ms. Jennifer K. French): MPP Taylor.

Miss Monique Taylor: I’m wondering if the standing orders will continue to be the same or if the government will change the standing orders for how other committees are appointed. The government House leader has previously appointed and changed positions of where people were from where the whips had put them. So I’m wondering if this will then ask the government to then change the process to reflect what we’re voting on today.

The Chair (Ms. Jennifer K. French): Further discussion? Answers for Miss Taylor?

I will say that this motion seems to address what this committee had been tasked with by the new powers given to it by the standing orders in terms of coming up with a process for appointing members to committees. The Clerk can add anything. I think that a motion of the House can still override anything that this committee would set out.

Is there any further discussion?

As the Chair, am I allowed to make a friendly amendment? I don’t think I am. Okay.

Mr. Rae, could I just ask for clarification? Where you had read “whips or House leaders for a list of,” did you want the word “which” or just “for a list of members to appoint”?

Mr. Matthew Rae: I can amend that motion.

Mr. Amarjot Sandhu: Accept it.

Mr. Matthew Rae: She can’t move it, though.

The Chair (Ms. Jennifer K. French): I am not moving it. I am just reading it out loud.

Mr. Matthew Rae: Am I allowed to amend my own motion, Chair? I move to amend the motion I just moved by striking out “which.”

The Chair (Ms. Jennifer K. French): Thank you. The member cannot amend his own motion—

Mr. Matthew Rae: Right. I thought so.

Ms. Christine Hogarth: I’ll amend it.

The Chair (Ms. Jennifer K. French): —but I’d be glad to see Ms. Hogarth’s hand and acknowledge her.

Ms. Christine Hogarth: A friendly amendment to remove the word “which” and just have “the House leader for a list of members.”

The Chair (Ms. Jennifer K. French): Sometimes I bring the teacher Ms. French to committee.

Mr. Matthew Rae: That’s fine. I appreciate it, Chair.

The Chair (Ms. Jennifer K. French): In that case, members have seen that amendment. Is there any debate on Ms. Hogarth’s amendment to the motion? Are members ready to vote on Ms. Hogarth’s amended motion? All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion carries.

Now we are voting on the motion before us, as amended. Are members ready to vote? All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

Is there any further business that the committee would like to discuss at this time?

In that case, I would like to take this opportunity to remind members to please let the Clerk know if you plan to attend the National Conference of State Legislatures event this summer so that you can be registered. A reminder that it’s only for the permanent members of the committee. Early bird registration closes on June 14.

Is the committee choosing to go into closed session for any of the business that was outstanding from Tuesday? If there’s an interest, that would require a motion. Seeing none, is there any further business?

Mr. Robert Bailey: I’ll go, Madam Chair.

The Chair (Ms. Jennifer K. French): Mr. Bailey.

Mr. Robert Bailey: Yes. Any further thoughts or any information on Bellevue, whether we go or not, or is that something that—Kingston?

The Chair (Ms. Jennifer K. French): The committee business over the summer was something that the committee had been discussing in closed session.

Mr. Robert Bailey: Oh, okay.

The Chair (Ms. Jennifer K. French): We certainly could take the opportunity at this time, but I will tell Mr. Bailey, as a member of the subcommittee, that much of those decisions had been deferred to the subcommittee, so that will come before you at some point that works with your schedule.

Mr. Robert Bailey: We’ll get on it.

The Chair (Ms. Jennifer K. French): In that case, seeing no further business, we will meet again this summer, many of us. Today’s meeting is adjourned.

The committee adjourned at 1306.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON PROCEDURE AND HOUSE AFFAIRS

Chair / Présidente

Ms. Jennifer K. French (Oshawa ND)

Vice-Chair / Vice-Président

Mr. Matthew Rae (Perth–Wellington PC)

Mr. Robert Bailey (Sarnia–Lambton PC)

Ms. Jennifer K. French (Oshawa ND)

Ms. Christine Hogarth (Etobicoke–Lakeshore PC)

Mr. Ted Hsu (Kingston and the Islands / Kingston et les Îles L)

Mrs. Robin Martin (Eglinton–Lawrence PC)

Mr. Sam Oosterhoff (Niagara West / Niagara-Ouest PC)

Mr. Matthew Rae (Perth–Wellington PC)

Mr. Amarjot Sandhu (Brampton West / Brampton-Ouest PC)

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

Miss Monique Taylor (Hamilton Mountain / Hamilton-Mountain ND)

MPP Jamie West (Sudbury ND)

Substitutions / Membres remplaçants

Mr. Lorne Coe (Whitby PC)

Mr. Dave Smith (Peterborough–Kawartha PC)

Clerk / Greffier

Mr. Christopher Tyrell

Staff / Personnel

Ms. Joanne McNair, Table Research Clerk,

Table Research