The committee met at 1300 in committee room 1 and by video conference.

Committee business

The Chair (Mr. Deepak Anand): Good afternoon. I will call this meeting to order. We are meeting today to consider the method of proceeding with respect to Bill 118, An Act to amend the Occupiers’ Liability Act.

We do have MPP Dave Smith and MPP John Fraser present in the room, and the following members are connected through Zoom: MPP Toby Barrett, MPP Will Bouma, MPP Stephen Crawford, MPP Gila Martow, MPP Billy Pang, MPP Jamie West. Staff from Hansard, broadcast and recording and legislative research have joined us remotely.

To make sure that everyone can understand what is going on, it is important that all participants speak slowly and clearly. Please wait until I recognize you before starting to speak. Since it could take a little time for your audio and video to come up after I recognize you, please take a brief pause before beginning. As always, all comments should go through the Chair.

Any questions at this time?

I would like to ask all the members at this time, is there any motion? I do see MPP Dave Smith. Yes, sir?

Mr. Dave Smith: I move that the committee enter closed session for the purposes of organizing committee business and that broadcasting staff be permitted to remain in the closed session meeting for the purposes of operating electronic meeting technology.

The Chair (Mr. Deepak Anand): A motion has been moved by MPP Dave Smith. Is there any debate? MPP West.

Mr. Jamie West: I’m just looking for clarity on why we would go in camera, why we wouldn’t just have a regular meeting.

The Chair (Mr. Deepak Anand): MPP Smith.

Mr. Dave Smith: Typically, we would do this in subcommittee, and subcommittee is always in camera, so since we are doing committee business, we should be in camera for it.

The Chair (Mr. Deepak Anand): Further debate? MPP West.

Mr. Jamie West: So we’re going to be in camera to discuss Bill 118? Is that what we’re doing?

Mr. Dave Smith: We would be in camera to discuss the schedule, just as we’re inviting people in for Bill 118. It is only about the scheduling portion of it.

Mr. Jamie West: Right. I’m not clear why we would do it, though. There’s nothing really private about Bill 118. I don’t know why we would be in camera and not just have a regular meeting like we normally do.

Mr. Dave Smith: Typically, we would do this in subcommittee, and subcommittee is always in camera. We’re just following the same process, other than it wouldn’t be subcommittee; it would be the committee as a whole.

Mr. Jamie West: Okay, good. I’m going to vote against it.

The Chair (Mr. Deepak Anand): Over to MPP Fraser.

Mr. John Fraser: I share MPP West’s concerns, as well. I just don’t understand why we wouldn’t be doing this in subcommittee and we’re doing this here today. It’s unusual to have—right now, we’re in public, and then we’re going to tell the people who are watching, however many there are, “By the way, you can’t watch this part.” It sends the wrong message. I understand what the member is saying, but I can’t support it, just simply because we made it open to everybody, and now we’re going to close it up. It’s the wrong message.

The Chair (Mr. Deepak Anand): Further debate? MPP Dave Smith.

Mr. Dave Smith: We could have done it as subcommittee. It would have been closed session at that point. There’s no difference between the two. We’re simply asking that we go to a closed session to discuss the schedule for it, the same as it would have been in closed session had it been a subcommittee meeting.

The Chair (Mr. Deepak Anand): MPP Fraser.

Mr. John Fraser: Well, then, let’s just call the vote.

The Chair (Mr. Deepak Anand): Okay. Are the members ready to vote at this time? I see yes. All those in favour, please—

Interjection.

The Chair (Mr. Deepak Anand): Oh, you asked for a recorded vote, so there will be a recorded vote.

Ayes

Barrett, Bouma, Crawford, Martow, Pang, Dave Smith.

Nays

Fraser, West.

The Chair (Mr. Deepak Anand): Seeing that there are more people in support than opposed, I declare the motion carried.

Thank you, everyone. That concludes our first part of the meeting. Now we will be moving over to the closed session.

The committee continued in closed session at 1305.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON REGULATIONS AND PRIVATE BILLS

Chair / Président

Mr. Deepak Anand (Mississauga–Malton PC)

Vice-Chair / Vice-Président

Mr. John Fraser (Ottawa South / Ottawa-Sud L)

Mr. Deepak Anand (Mississauga–Malton PC)

Mr. Toby Barrett (Haldimand–Norfolk PC)

Mr. Will Bouma (Brantford–Brant PC)

Mr. Stephen Crawford (Oakville PC)

Mr. John Fraser (Ottawa South / Ottawa-Sud L)

Ms. Laura Mae Lindo (Kitchener Centre / Kitchener-Centre ND)

Mrs. Gila Martow (Thornhill PC)

Mr. Paul Miller (Hamilton East–Stoney Creek / Hamilton-Est–Stoney Creek ND)

Mr. Billy Pang (Markham–Unionville PC)

Mr. Dave Smith (Peterborough–Kawartha PC)

Mr. Jamie West (Sudbury ND)

Clerk / Greffier

Mr. Isaiah Thorning

Staff / Personnel

Ms. Monica Cop, research officer,
Research Services