CPAC - In Committee from the Senate of Canada

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In Committee from the Senate of Canada

CPAC - Cable Public Affairs Channel presents the most complete, unedited and accessible coverage of proceedings of federal Parliamentary committees under the program titled "In Committee from the Senate" on its broadcast schedule.

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About Senate Committees

Senate committees are where members of the upper chamber perform research and analytical work into legislation and current issues.

Senate committees hear from more than 1,300 witnesses each year. Technically, a person who refuses to appear before a committee can be held in contempt of Parliament.
Ministers or their parliamentary secretaries usually appear before Senate committees at the beginning of an examination into a bill under their jurisdiction.
Senators on a committee can propose amendments to a bill after hearing from witnesses.
The first Senate committee appeared in 1867 – on the second day of Canada’s new Parliament, in fact. Ten standing committees were established in 1894. The size of most committees was reduced from 20 to 12 in 1983.
Senators usually give their committee preferences to their party leadership. Most committees sit twice per week.
Committees are also protected by parliamentary privilege during meetings.

The current Senate committees are:

Aboriginal Peoples
Agriculture and Forestry
Banking, Trade and Commerce
Conflict of Interest for Senators
Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources
Fisheries and Oceans
Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Human Rights
Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
Legal and Constitutional Affairs
National Finance
National Security and Defence
Official Languages
Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament
Social Affairs, Science and Technology
Transport and Communications

SOURCE: Senate of Canada