Liberals use majority to move some parliamentary committees behind closed doors

It’s been to a lesser extent than a hebdomad since the union soldier Liberals took verify of parliamentary committees, and they’re using their new-found force to take proceedings behind closed doors.

At four committees so far — ethics, health, science and transport — Liberal members have requested to go in camera for government business, turning off the cameras and making it impossible for opposition MPs to discuss publicly what happened behind closed doors.

Conservatives are calling the move anti-democratic.

"It’s going to make it more difficult for us to bring that accountability to bear, and that’s a choice that Liberals have made," Conservative ethics critic Michael Barrett said on Wednesday. 

At a fifth committee, veterans affairs, Liberal members proceeded to vote on main estimates and then the chair moved to adjourn unilaterally, effectively shutting down any further debate on a Conservative motion to study the effects of the 2025 budget on veterans. It happened despite protests from Conservatives.

"I think that’s something that deserves to be looked at on behalf of veterans, and what happened today is the Liberals shut down the meeting without even letting us vote on whether we would have the ability to study that on behalf of veterans,” said Conservative Veterans Affairs critic Blake Richards in a video posted online.

On Thursday, the science and research committee was moved in camera following a Liberal request to proceed to "drafting instructions" on a study, which is done behind closed doors.

The Conservatives were trying to debate a motion to probe a $200-million federal agreement concerning Spaceport Nova Scotia near Canso, N.S., and its implications for Canada’s space sector, including its value for money.

At the ethics committee, Liberal members voted to go in camera following a Conservative motion that would have required the Privy Council Office to provide regular updates on the prime minister’s ethics screen. 

At the transport committee, Liberals adjourned debate on a motion to produce documents related to the Port of Montreal expansion, then moved in camera. 

The health committee was also moved in camera amid discussion about a probe into a $300-million program called PrescribeIT. Launched in 2017, the program was intended to modernize doctors’ offices, but reporting in the Globe and Mail indicated fewer than five per cent of prescriptions are sent using PrescribeIT.

"We were going to ask the auditor general to come in and do an investigation, and Liberal [MP] Maggie Chi voted to shut down the cameras," said Conservative Health critic Dan Mazier.

"The more important question is, why did the cameras get shut off?"

Government House leader defends Liberal move to seize control of House committees

The Liberals formalized their parliamentary majority earlier this week, passing a motion to restructure committees to give the governing party control.

But government House leader Steven MacKinnon denied that the Liberals are weaponizing the ability to move in camera. 

He said committees are entitled to go in camera when discussing confidential and contractual matters.

"Nothing is being shut down, and committees are going to continue to do their work. The committee process has actually been going quite smoothly in my view," MacKinnon said.

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