Assemblée législative de l'Ontario

The committee met at 1100 in committee room 1.

Subcommittee report

The Chair (Ms. Jennifer K. French): Good morning, members. The Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs will come to order. Our first item of business is to consider the subcommittee report. Would a member like to read it into the record and move its adoption? MPP McGregor.

Mr. Graham McGregor: Your subcommittee on committee business met on January 9, 2023, to consider the method of proceeding on its study of the lifespan of and deficiencies with the building systems in the legislative precinct and the need for rehabilitation and restoration, and recommends the following:

(1) That the committee meet for one day of public hearings in Ottawa from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. during the week of February 6, 2023.

(2) That the Clerk of the Committee, in consultation with the Chair, arrange for the committee to hold its public hearings in a House of Commons committee room, if possible.

(3) That presentations be scheduled in 45-minute intervals, with witnesses being offered up to 10 minutes for an opening statement followed by 35 minutes for questions from members of the committee.

(4) That the subcommittee on committee business be authorized to finalize the list of witnesses provided by the Clerk of the Committee, to be invited to appear by the Clerk of the Committee, in consultation with the Chair.

(5) That the Clerk of the Committee be authorized to arrange a tour for the committee at the House of Commons in Ottawa, specifically of the recently completed renovations in West Block and those currently in progress in Centre Block, during the week of February 6, 2023.

(6) That the subcommittee on committee business be authorized to finalize the list of other public buildings in Ottawa that have been or are currently under renovations and the Clerk of the Committee be authorized to arrange tours of these buildings for the committee during the week of February 6, 2023.

(7) That the research officer provide the committee with a cross-jurisdictional scan on the renovation of legislative buildings in Canada and an executive summary on the renovations history of the House of Commons by Friday, February 3, 2023.

I move that the committee adopt this report.

The Chair (Ms. Jennifer K. French): Mr. McGregor has moved adoption. Is there any debate on the subcommittee report? MPP Bell.

Ms. Jessica Bell: I have some comments and questions for the cross-jurisdictional scan. My guess is that the purpose of this scan is for us to move forward with developing a proposal or at least an understanding of how much the renovations are going to cost, how long it’s going to take, when we’re going to move forward with it. Would that be correct?

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

Mr. Graham McGregor: Yes. This was agreed by the subcommittee that has members from all parties, but my understanding is that it’s intended to take the best practices from what other levels of government have done.

Ms. Jessica Bell: So my recommendation—and this is not something that is going to be a formal motion at all; it’s more a request to the research officer assigned to this—is that we really use point (7) as a way for us to get the information we need to start making decisions around what we are going to do here at Queen’s Park, so costs, estimates, that kind of direction.

The Chair (Ms. Jennifer K. French): Is there any further discussion or debate? Okay.

May I offer something as Chair? I do know that this is not specific in terms of the exact date at this time. The Clerk, as it is laid out, is going to continue making and finalizing those arrangements. We will do our best to communicate that, as soon as those details are finalized, for the members of the committee so that we can make the appropriate plans.

Anything further? In that case, are members ready to vote? All those in favour of the adoption of the subcommittee report? All those opposed? That is carried.

If there is no further business, this committee meeting is now adjourned.

The committee adjourned at 1105.

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)

MPP Jamie West (Sudbury ND)

Substitutions / Membres remplaçants

Mr. Will Bouma (Brantford–Brant PC)

Ms. Laura Smith (Thornhill PC)

Clerk / Greffier

Mr. Christopher Tyrell

Staff / Personnel

Mr. Nick Ruderman, research officer,
Research Services