CONTENTS
Wednesday 29 January 1997
Election of Chair
Election of Vice-Chair
STANDING COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT
Chair / Président: Mrs Brenda Elliott (Guelph PC)
Vice-Chair / Vice-Président: Mrs Barbara Fisher (Bruce PC)
Mr DominicAgostino (Hamilton East / -Est L)
Mr John R. Baird (Nepean PC)
*Mr DavidChristopherson (Hamilton Centre / -Centre ND)
*Mr TedChudleigh (Halton North / -Nord PC)
Ms MarilynChurley (Riverdale ND)
Mr Sean G. Conway (Renfrew N / -Nord L)
*Mrs BrendaElliott (Guelph PC)
*Mrs BarbaraFisher (Bruce PC)
*Mr DougGalt (Northumberland PC)
*Mr PatHoy (Essex-Kent L)
Mr BartMaves (Niagara Falls PC)
*Mr John R. O'Toole (Durham East / -Est PC)
*Mr Jerry J. Ouellette (Oshawa PC)
Mr Joseph N. Tascona (Simcoe Centre PC)
*In attendance /présents
Substitutions present /Membres remplaçants présents:
Mr DanNewman (Scarborough Centre / -Centre PC) for Mr Baird
Mr TimHudak (Niagara South PC) for Mr Maves
Clerk / Greffier: Mr Todd Decker
Staff / Personnel: Mr Ted Glenn, research officer, Legislative Research Service
The committee met at 1535 in committee room 1.
ELECTION OF CHAIR
Clerk of the Committee (Todd Decker): Honourable members, as a result of a motion in the House which adjusted the membership of this committee the position of Chair is now vacant. It is therefore my duty to call upon you to elect one of your own as Chair of the committee. Are there any nominations? Mr O'Toole.
Mr John O'Toole (Durham East): I nominate Brenda Elliott as Chair.
Clerk of the Committee: Mr O'Toole has nominated Mrs Elliott. Are there any further nominations?
Mr Doug Galt (Northumberland): I am pleased to second the nomination.
Clerk of the Committee: Are there any further nominations? Seeing none, I'll declare nominations closed and Ms Elliott duly elected Chair of the committee.
The Chair (Mrs Brenda Elliott): Thank you all. It's my pleasure to be your Chair and I will endeavour to be as wise and fair as I can be in this position.
SUBCOMMITTEE BUSINESS
The Chair: The next order of business: Is there a motion to appoint a subcommittee on committee business?
Mrs Barbara Fisher (Bruce): I move that Mr Hoy be a substitute for Mr Duncan as the official opposition's representative on the subcommittee on committee business.
The Chair: Does anyone wish to speak to this motion? All in favour? Contrary, if any? I declare this motion carried.
Is there any further business? Is it the wish of the committee to have a short subcommittee meeting after this meeting to iron out any difficulties or concerns?
Mr David Christopherson (Hamilton Centre): I can't. I have to go right away. I would be pleased to attend a meeting but we would have to set another time.
The Chair: All right. Perhaps then the wisest would be to end the meeting and hold another meeting as required when legislation is brought towards our committee.
Mr Ted Chudleigh (Halton North): What a great start.
Mr O'Toole: A great start.
The Chair: A motion?
Mr Galt: Is there anything we're anticipating coming to this committee down the road? Any feelings or direction or thoughts?
The Chair: Mr Decker, we seek your advice.
Clerk of the Committee: There has been speculation that Bill 99, the workers' compensation amendment act, when it receives second reading may come to the committee. That's probably the most likely prospect at this moment.
Mr Galt: That's probably after all the bills that are in the House at the present time?
Clerk of the Committee: In all likelihood, yes. Mr Christopherson may know.
Mr Christopherson: No, but on a different matter, I just wanted to go on record as saying that I found the tenure of Mr Gilchrist, who has just left as Chair of the committee, to have been one bound in a high degree of fairness and balance. I didn't always agree with him, particularly during some of the sessions with the public present, some of the rulings he made. But I want definitely to go on record as saying that the vast majority of the time, particularly in the subcommittee when we were working out the rules of engagement, if you will, for the committee, I found him very fair and very even-handed. I, for one, as one member of the House, would like the Hansard record to reflect that.
Mr Pat Hoy (Essex-Kent): Madam Chair, there was a request for a subcommittee meeting made in early January. I wonder if we could have that subcommittee meeting on Monday of next week.
The Chair: We can endeavour to put a time together for that.
Mr Christopherson, I just would like to thank you, on behalf of Mr Gilchrist, and I will make sure he receives a copy of your comments. They're very kind.
I would also like to take an opportunity to indicate that the new members on this committee are Mr Agostino and Mr Conway, and to welcome Mr O'Toole and Dr Galt who are here today as new members of our committee.
Seeing no further business, is there a motion to adjourn? The meeting is adjourned.
The committee adjourned at 1539.