Assemblée législative de l'Ontario

The committee met at 1300 in room 151.

Subcommittee report

The Vice-Chair (Mr. Matthew Rae): Good afternoon, members. The Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs will now come to order. On the agenda we have the report of the subcommittee on committee business. Can a member of that committee please read the report into the record? I recognize MPP Harris.

Mr. Mike Harris: Your subcommittee on committee business met on August 30, 2022, to consider the method of proceeding on its consideration of the Legislative Assembly’s television broadcast system, and recommends the following:

(1) That the committee invite the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly and the director of broadcast and recording services to appear before the committee to provide a briefing on the assembly’s television broadcast system, including a tour of its facilities.

(2) That the meeting be scheduled for Wednesday, September 7, 2022 at 1 p.m.

Chair, I move that the report of the subcommittee be adopted.

The Vice-Chair (Mr. Matthew Rae): MPP Harris has moved that the report of the subcommittee be adopted. Is there any discussion? MPP Hsu.

Mr. Ted Hsu: Just a quick question: Normally we meet on Thursdays. Is there a particular reason why it’s on a Wednesday, or is our normal meeting moved to the Wednesday? Is it expected that we won’t meet on Thursday? I’m just curious.

The Vice-Chair (Mr. Matthew Rae): MPP Harris?

Mr. Mike Harris: I’m happy to respond. The subcommittee felt, just from a logistics standpoint, it would be easier on a Wednesday to do the tour and everything, rather than a Thursday, where often people are looking to get back to their ridings. Especially with MPP West being from Sudbury, sometimes it’s easier for him to be able to leave the city a little bit earlier in the day.

The Vice-Chair (Mr. Matthew Rae): MPP—I’m sorry.

Ms. Jessica Bell: Bell.

The Vice-Chair (Mr. Matthew Rae): MPP Bell.

Ms. Jessica Bell: I was wanting to get a summary of what the purpose of the tour is.

Mr. Mike Harris: I’m happy to address that as well, if you like. Madam Clerk, maybe it’s easier for you to go over it, as well. One of the responsibilities of this committee is to evaluate the broadcast systems here in the building on a periodic basis. It has been about four years since we’ve done that. It’s just to get a bit of an idea from the director and also the Clerk as to what’s working well, what’s not, what can be changed, and to get a little bit of a tour just to see how things work for some of the new committee members here and newer members of the House.

Ms. Jessica Bell: I see. Okay.

The Vice-Chair (Mr. Matthew Rae): MPP Hsu.

Mr. Ted Hsu: A very brief question: Any idea about how long this will last?

Interjections.

Mr. Ted Hsu: Sorry. I have scheduled things. I usually schedule things a week in advance.

Mr. Mike Harris: As long as we want it to. If you’ve got a hard stop and you have to leave, you are more than welcome to depart and go on your way. I would assume the tour is probably going to last maybe half an hour or 45 minutes, depending.

The Vice-Chair (Mr. Matthew Rae): Clerk?

The Clerk of the Committee (Ms. Valerie Quioc Lim): Thank you, Chair. In previous times when it’s been done, it has been a brief overview of the branch and how they televise proceedings, and the tour was about half an hour to an hour, depending on questions from members and things they want to see. But it’s really looking at the facilities, the control booth, the cameras.

The Vice-Chair (Mr. Matthew Rae): MPP Bell.

Ms. Jessica Bell: I was just wanting to know a little bit more about where this request came from for a tour. Is it because the Legislature has some recommendations on how to change our broadcasting system, or does the government have some recommendations on how to change the broadcasting system? Or is it really just a tour?

The Vice-Chair (Mr. Matthew Rae): MPP Harris?

Mr. Mike Harris: I’ll defer to the Clerk on this one.

The Vice-Chair (Mr. Matthew Rae): For sure. Clerk?

The Clerk of the Committee (Ms. Valerie Quioc Lim): It is part of the committee’s permanent mandate to be able to look at the television broadcast system, and it was the subcommittee that was recommending that the committee at some point start that, to get a brief overview. It would be up to the committee, after that meeting, where to go from there, whether there are further questions or more information needed after that.

Ms. Jessica Bell: Okay.

The Vice-Chair (Mr. Matthew Rae): Are the members ready to vote? All those in favour, please raise your hand. All those opposed, please raise your hand—if any are opposed. The motion is carried.

There being no further business, this committee is adjourned until 1 p.m. on Wednesday, September 7, 2022.

The committee adjourned at 1305.

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)

Ms. Jessica Bell (University–Rosedale ND)

Ms. Jennifer K. French (Oshawa ND)

M^me Dawn Gallagher Murphy (Newmarket–Aurora PC)

Mr. Mike Harris (Kitchener–Conestoga PC)

Ms. Christine Hogarth (Etobicoke–Lakeshore PC)

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

Mr. Graham McGregor (Brampton North / Brampton-Nord 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)

Mr. Jamie West (Sudbury ND)

Substitutions / Membres remplaçants

Mr. Will Bouma (Brantford–Brant PC)

Ms. Donna Skelly (Flamborough–Glanbrook PC)

Ms. Marit Stiles (Davenport ND)

Clerk / Greffière

Ms. Valerie Quioc Lim

Staff / Personnel

Mr. Nick Ruderman, research officer,
Research Services