Hon. Julie Miville-Dechêne: Honourable senators, my question is for the Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications, Senator Leo Housakos.

Senator Housakos, as you know, the senators in this chamber spent two weeks debating the merits of having a pre-study on Bill C-11, An Act to amend the Broadcasting Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts. The Senate voted in favour of conducting a pre-study.

Given this democratic vote and the fact that, according to my information, the majority of senators on the committee would like to start this pre-study, when do you intend to begin this study in committee and call witnesses so that we can start to understand this important and complex bill?

Senator Miville-Dechêne: Senator Housakos, according to my calculations, a majority of the committee members, 8 out of 12, would like to start the pre-study. If, as you say, the committee is free to decide when to start this work, I can tell you that the majority want to start the pre-study now.

I would like to ask you a hypothetical question. In your opinion, when the Senate authorizes a committee to carry out a pre-study on a government bill, does the committee have the right to not carry out the will of the Senate and to refuse to conduct a pre-study?

[English]

Hon. Julie Miville-Dechêne, for Senator Housakos, pursuant to notice of February 8, 2022, moved:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications be authorized to examine and report on matters relating to transport and communications generally, including:

(a)transport and communications by any means;

(b)tourist traffic;

(c)common carriers; and

(d)navigation, shipping and navigable waters; and

That the committee submit its final report no later than September 30, 2025, and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings for 180 days after the tabling of the final report.