Conservatives vote against transparency in Parliament

The conservative majority sitting on standing committees that were convened to meet today voted against a New Democrat motion seeking to limit the excessive use of in camera provisions, which keeps important parliamentary work hidden from the public eye.

The NDP’s motion:

That the Committee may meet in camera only for the purpose of discussing:

(a) wages, salaries and other employee benefits;

(b) contracts and contract negotiations;

(c) labour relations and personnel matters;

(d) a draft report;

(e) briefings concerning national security; and

That all votes taken in camera be recorded in the Minutes of Proceedings, including how each member voted when recorded votes are requested.

The following Conservative MPs voted against transparency today:

-Paul Calandra (Oak Ridges—Markham)

-Jacques Gourde (Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière)

-Ted Menzies (Macleod)

-Patricia Davidson (Sarnia—Lambton)

-John Carmichael (Don Valley West)

-Colin Mayes (Okanagan—Shuswap)

-Earl Dreeshen (Red Deer)

-Tilly O’Neill Gordon (Miramichi)

-LaVar Payne (Medecine Hat)

-Michael Chong (Wellington—Halton Hills)

-Roxanne James (Scarborough Center)

-Rick Norlock (Northumberland—Quinte West)

-Rodney Weston (Saint John)

-Ron Cannan (Kelowna—Lake Country)

-Diane Ablonczy (Calgary—Nose Hill)

-Gordon O’Connor (Carleton—Mississippi Mills)

-Jay Aspin (Nipissing—Timiskaming)

-Dave Van Kesteren (Chatham—Kent—Essex)

-Bernard Trottier (Etobicoke—Lakeshore)

-Brad Trost (Saskatoon—Humboldt)