The committee met at 1400 in room 151 and by video conference.

The Chair (Mr. Amarjot Sandhu): Good afternoon, everyone. I call this meeting to order now. We have the following members in the room: MPP Roberts and MPP Smith. The following members are participating remotely: MPP Arthur, MPP Cho, MPP Fife, MPP Hunter, MPP Kanapathi, MPP Mamakwa, MPP Thanigasalam and MPP Sabawy.

Appointment of subcommittee

The Chair (Mr. Amarjot Sandhu): The committee membership motion that carried in the House on Tuesday, February 16 left a vacancy on our subcommittee on committee business. Is there a motion to appoint an opposition member to the subcommittee? We need an opposition member to bring up a motion for a subcommittee member. Any motions? MPP Fife.

Ms. Catherine Fife: I believe you’re looking for a subcommittee member from the official opposition. I guess I can nominate myself in that capacity. I’m willing to put my name forward.

The Chair (Mr. Amarjot Sandhu): It will be better if we have another opposition member move a motion for MPP Fife.

MPP Arthur.

Mr. Ian Arthur: I’d like to bring a motion forward to the committee to nominate MPP Catherine Fife to the subcommittee for the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs.

The Chair (Mr. Amarjot Sandhu): A motion has been moved by MPP Arthur. Is there any debate? Are the members ready to vote?

Shall the motion carry? All those in favour, please raise your hand. All those opposed? The motion is accordingly carried and MPP Fife has been appointed to the subcommittee.

Election of Vice-Chair

Mr. Jeremy Roberts: Chair?

The Chair (Mr. Amarjot Sandhu): MPP Roberts.

Mr. Jeremy Roberts: I would like to tender my resignation as Vice-Chair of the committee. I have my resignation letter here, which I’ll pass to the Clerk.

It’s been an honour to serve as Vice-Chair, but I’m going to step down from this position, which I believe will necessitate the appointment of a new Vice-Chair.

The Chair (Mr. Amarjot Sandhu): MPP Roberts has submitted his resignation. MPP Roberts, it was an honour to have you as a Vice-Chair on the finance committee.

Honourable members, it is now my duty to entertain a motion for Vice-Chair. Are there any motions? MPP Roberts.

Mr. Jeremy Roberts: I would like to move that Mr. Arthur be appointed as Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs.

The Chair (Mr. Amarjot Sandhu): A motion has been moved by MPP Roberts to appoint MPP Arthur as the Vice-Chair of the finance committee. Is there any debate? MPP Arthur.

Mr. Ian Arthur: Chair, I must respectfully decline the invitation to be the Vice-Chair of this committee, as I feel that it would obstruct the work that I have to do, holding the government to account on this committee.

The Chair (Mr. Amarjot Sandhu): Is there any other debate on the motion? There’s no debate, but we’ll still have to vote on the motion. Are the members ready to vote? All those in favour, please raise your hand. All those opposed? The motion is accordingly carried.

Congratulations, MPP Arthur, on being appointed as Vice-Chair of the finance committee. MPP Arthur.

Mr. Ian Arthur: Hi. I have to resign my position as Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs.

The Chair (Mr. Amarjot Sandhu): We just need a moment to discuss that, please.

Interjections.

The Chair (Mr. Amarjot Sandhu): We have to recess for two minutes, and we’ll come back in two minutes with the answer to MPP Arthur’s resignation. Thank you.

The committee recessed from 1407 to 1409.

The Chair (Mr. Amarjot Sandhu): Welcome back. Before we went on a break, MPP Arthur expressed his desire to resign. We accept the resignation of MPP Arthur, but it would be helpful, for the record, if MPP Arthur sends something in writing after the committee.

Are there any other motions? MPP Roberts.

Mr. Jeremy Roberts: I just want to note for the record, Chair, that I worked for the majority of my career, prior to being elected, in federal Parliament, where it is common practice for a member of the opposition to be Vice-Chair of the committee. I can tell you that this does not do anything to limit the ability of that member to participate constructively in debate and hold the government to account as he or she sees fit. This was merely a measure to ensure that our committees better reflect the balance in the House.

I understand that Mr. Arthur has submitted his resignation, but I would encourage him to reconsider.

The Chair (Mr. Amarjot Sandhu): MPP Fife.

Ms. Catherine Fife: I have to say, this is a very shaky start for this year’s finance committee. I have never seen a committee move forward with voting on membership on a committee once the member has declined the offer, not in all of my years of chairing, and that’s a lot of years. So, unfortunately, I think that there are already games being played on this finance committee.

The member for Kingston and the Islands has the right to decline being the Vice-Chair of this committee for the very rational reasons that he said. The Vice-Chair position should be, in accordance with the practice of this committee, a member of the government, because they have to sub in for the Chair.

The Chair (Mr. Amarjot Sandhu): Is there any other debate? Seeing none, are there any other motions? MPP Smith.

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

The Chair (Mr. Amarjot Sandhu): MPP Smith has moved a motion to appoint MPP Roberts as Vice-Chair of the committee. Is there any debate? Are the members ready to vote? All those in favour, please raise your hand. All those opposed? The motion is accordingly carried. We’re glad to have MPP Roberts back as the Vice-Chair.

That’s it. That is all our business for today. The committee now stands adjourned until further notice. Thank you so much.

The committee adjourned at 1412.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON FINANCE AND ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

Chair / Président

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

Vice-Chair / Vice-Président

Mr. Jeremy Roberts (Ottawa West–Nepean / Ottawa-Ouest–Nepean PC)

Mr. Ian Arthur (Kingston and the Islands / Kingston et les Îles ND)

Mr. Stan Cho (Willowdale PC)

Ms. Catherine Fife (Waterloo ND)

Ms. Mitzie Hunter (Scarborough–Guildwood L)

Mr. Logan Kanapathi (Markham–Thornhill PC)

Mr. Sol Mamakwa (Kiiwetinoong ND)

Mr. David Piccini (Northumberland–Peterborough South / Northumberland–Peterborough-Sud PC)

Mr. Jeremy Roberts (Ottawa West–Nepean / Ottawa-Ouest–Nepean PC)

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

Mr. Dave Smith (Peterborough–Kawartha PC)

Mr. Vijay Thanigasalam (Scarborough–Rouge Park PC)

Substitutions / Membres remplaçants

Mr. David Piccini (Northumberland–Peterborough South / Northumberland–Peterborough-Sud PC)

Clerk / Greffière

Ms. Julia Douglas

Staff / Personnel

Ms. Sandra Lopes, research officer,
Research Services