Update to the ITQ Committee Roundup Thingy – In camera licious Tuesday

For Monday’s roundup – which includes all meetings not updated/added within the last 24 hours – click here.

Really, it seems like everything is happening behind closed doors today – but don’t worry, that doesn’t (necessarily) mean that sneakiness is afoot; it’s pretty normal at this time of year, what with the session rolling gently to a close. Or, alternately, careening wildly towards a spectacularly gory finale. It all ends the same way — with a flurry of reports, recommendations and last minute tweaks to proposed legislation.

There are a few committees meeting in public, of course — Public Accounts, for one, which is looking into how well the government – particularly National Defence – manages sensitive information when contracting work out to the private sector. The committee wants to know how blueprints for the department’s counterterrorism unit headquarters wound up in the trash on a busy Ottawa street.

Meanwhile, over at Ethics, the on-again off-again debate over an opposition-backed motion to hold hearings on the Conservative in and out election advertising scheme is on again, and will happen sometime this afternoon – we just don’t know whether the battle will get underway before or after members hear from the Canadian Bar Association on privacy reform.

In other news:

• The nameless bureaucrats summoned to appear before the Industry committee to discuss Canadian science and technology now have names, according to the latest notice.
• Transport investigates the state of Canada’s waterways – specifically, “navigation protection” – and entertains a mystery motion from the always entertaining – and occasionally mysterious – Joe Volpe.
• Veterans Affairs hears from yet another country that probably has far better services available for its former soldier, courtesy of Australian High Commissioner Bill Fisher.

Wednesday

Oh, this should be fun – at the Legislative Committee on C-20, Quebec Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Benoit Pelletier will tell the Prime Minister exactly what he – and his juicy, vote-laden province – thinks about his plan to tinker with the Senate without going through the trouble of reopening the constitution.

Also:

• Seriously? Reclusive Independent MP and part-time radio host Guy Andre has a private members bill? On the use of phosphorus, of all things? Have fun with that, Environment committee!
• After at least half a dozen minifilibusters during its last stint in the House, the Tsawwassen First Nation Final Agreement finally goes to Aboriginal Affairs
• Canadian Expeditionary Forces Commander Michel Gauthier talks to the Special Committee on Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan