The committee met at 0901 in room 151.

The Chair (Mr. Peter Z. Milczyn): Good morning, everyone. Welcome back from the summer. The purpose of this morning’s meeting is two items of business.

Election of Vice-Chair

The Chair (Mr. Peter Z. Milczyn): The Clerk has received a notice from Mr. Baker that he has resigned his position as Vice-Chair of the committee.

Mr. Yvan Baker: The weight of the responsibility was overwhelming me.

Mr. Victor Fedeli: You can’t cope? Come on.

The Chair (Mr. Peter Z. Milczyn): No, he had difficulties with the Chair, I think.

It’s my duty to entertain a motion for a new Vice-Chair. Are there any motions? Ms. Hoggarth.

Ms. Ann Hoggarth: I move that MPP Daiene Vernile be appointed Vice-Chair of the committee.

The Chair (Mr. Peter Z. Milczyn): A motion is being moved by Ms. Hoggarth. Is there any debate?

Ms. Catherine Fife: Has Ms. Vernile accepted the nomination?

Ms. Ann Hoggarth: Yes. She’s at an announcement this morning, but yes, she has.

The Chair (Mr. Peter Z. Milczyn): Is there any further debate? No? Are the members ready to vote?

All those in favour of the motion? Opposed? The motion is carried.

Appointment of subcommittee

The Chair (Mr. Peter Z. Milczyn): The second item of business is that as a result of changes in the committee’s membership, it has left a vacancy on our subcommittee on committee business, as Mrs. Albanese is no longer a member of the committee. We need a motion to replace Mrs. Albanese. Are there any motions?

Mr. Lou Rinaldi: I move that Mr. Baker replace Mrs. Albanese on the subcommittee on committee business.

The Chair (Mr. Peter Z. Milczyn): A motion has been made. Is there any debate? No further debate. Shall we vote?

All those in favour of the motion? All those opposed? The motion carries.

Ms. Fife.

Ms. Catherine Fife: Just a question, Chair: Do we know when we will be officially meeting again?

The Chair (Mr. Peter Z. Milczyn): Not at this point, but it is a good question. I will endeavour to find out for you.

Ms. Catherine Fife: Thank you.

The Chair (Mr. Peter Z. Milczyn): Mr. Fedeli.

Mr. Victor Fedeli: On that point: I know we have no committee business because there are no bills destined to our committee at this point.

The Chair (Mr. Peter Z. Milczyn): Not yet.

Mr. Victor Fedeli: So when are we going to talk about the pre-budget consultations? We really should get around to scheduling them so that we can make, to be quite frank, some Christmas and holiday plans. I know that last year many of us went ahead and made our plans because the committee never got around to picking the dates, and then it conflicted with some on all three sides who were travelling. We kind of know when it’s going to be, so we should really think about nailing it down.

The Chair (Mr. Peter Z. Milczyn): Mr. Baker.

Mr. Yvan Baker: This is a good discussion. I’m wondering whether this is something we should move to the subcommittee—have that discussion there first and then bring it back, if that’s okay.

Mr. Victor Fedeli: That’s kind of where I’m going with it. We always say, “Yes, yes, yes,” and then in the last week of December, we’re scrambling, the Clerks don’t have time to buy ads, and it’s always a mess. It really is.

The Chair (Mr. Peter Z. Milczyn): It’s a point well taken. I’ve been seized of it myself, thinking about that. So we will, in the very near future, schedule a subcommittee meeting to go into that.

There being no further business, the committee is adjourned.

The committee adjourned at 0905.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON FINANCE AND ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

Chair / Président

Mr. Peter Z. Milczyn (Etobicoke–Lakeshore L)

Vice-Chair / Vice-Présidente

Ms. Daiene Vernile (Kitchener Centre / Kitchener-Centre L)

Mr. Yvan Baker (Etobicoke Centre / Etobicoke-Centre L)

Mr. Toby Barrett (Haldimand–Norfolk PC)

Mr. Han Dong (Trinity–Spadina L)

Mr. Victor Fedeli (Nipissing PC)

Ms. Catherine Fife (Kitchener–Waterloo ND)

Ms. Ann Hoggarth (Barrie L)

Mr. Peter Z. Milczyn (Etobicoke–Lakeshore L)

Mr. Lou Rinaldi (Northumberland–Quinte West L)

Ms. Daiene Vernile (Kitchener Centre / Kitchener-Centre L)

Substitutions / Membres remplaçants

Mr. Robert Bailey (Sarnia–Lambton PC)

Clerk / Greffier

Mr. Eric Rennie

Staff / Personnel

Ms. Susan Viets, research officer,
Research Services