Mr. Mike Wallace, M.P.

Member of Parliament for Burlington

Room 115, East Block

House of Commons

December 16, 2011

Dear Mr. Wallace,

I’m writing to you today regarding our work on the Government Operations and Estimates Committee

this fall.

I am deeply concerned by a pattern of increasing secrecy in the conduct of our committee’s affairs.

You and your Conservative colleagues on our committee have repeatedly insisted that we are to

conduct a variety of activities normally considered “committee business” in secret, or in camera, hidden

from the Canadian people. You have asserted that this has been the standard practice of committees in

the past.

This assertion is wrong.

In eleven years as a Member of Parliament it has been my experience that only the future scheduling of

hearings, the selection of witnesses, the consideration of draft reports and meetings concerning

confidential material are conducted in camera. This practice is confirmed by O’Brien and Bosc, at page

1076-77:

"On occasion, a committee may decide to hold an in camera meeting to deal with administrative matters, to

consider a draft report or to receive a briefing. Subcommittees on Agenda and Procedure usually meet in

camera. Committees also meet in camera to deal with documents or matters requiring confidentiality, such as

national security. Depending on the needs, a committee may conduct one part of a meeting in public and the

other part in camera."

In the last session of the last Parliament I was a member, and vice-chair, of the Standing Committee on

Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. It was our practice at that time that the debate of

substantive motions related to committee governance or potential areas of study would be debated in

public. I am sure that if you check the transcripts of those meeting you will find that, despite the public

nature of the meetings, there was a frank and honest exchange of views over a variety of motions.

Mr. Wallace, our committee does important work. The Standing Committee on Government Operations

and Estimates is one of the most important oversight committees in Parliament. To date, we have all

worked together relatively well. However, your continued insistence that our committee conduct its

business in secret puts that working relationship at risk.

Canadians, most importantly our constituents, deserve to know the reasons for our votes in Parliament.

However, the continued use of secret meetings prevents me from being able to communicate with my

constituents the very votes I am undertaking – let alone the reasons.

This week, you put a motion on notice with our committee. I would ask that you respect the previous

practice of this House, and the right of Canadians to know what their Parliamentarians stand for, and

agree to debate this, and subsequent, motions in public.

It is my hope that we can work together in the new year to produce a more open and transparent

Government Operations Committee.

My best wishes to you and your family this holiday season.

Sincerely,

Hon. John McCallum, P.C., M.P.

cc: Mr. Pat Martin, MP

cc: Mr. Alexandra Boulerice, MP