Committee Watch: In camera-itis strikes again!

Those of you who dutifully read the daily offering that is OotD will recall that yesterday's edition included the following prediction:

Finally, Procedure and House Affairs will consider a motion from Liberal house leader that would see the committee consider appropriate parameters for omnibus legislation, which seems fated to fall to the Conservative majority when it comes to a vote, not that there will be any record of such a decision; despite the fact that today's meeting is currently set to be public, if past practice is any indication of what the immediate future holds, it will almost certainly be forced behind closed doors within moments of the gavel hitting the table.

Although the minutes for yesterday's meeting have not yet been posted -- and, depending on the practice at this particular committee, may not ultimately shed much light on what went on behind closed doors -- the Liberals lost little time in dispatching the following bulletin to reporters -- headlined, somewhat passive aggressively, "In Case You Missed It":

As we all wait with baited breathe for the Conservatives to hand down their next "everything but the kitchen sink" omnibus budget legislation, Liberal House Leader Marc Garneau gave notice of motion this week in the Procedure and House Affairs Committee (PROC) to try and curtail the government's use of omnibus bills. 

The motion, which called on the committee to "begin a study into what reasonable limits should be placed on the consideration of Omnibus legislation in recognition of Parliament's fundamental purpose to provide appropriate oversight of the Government," was still pending before yesterday's secret in-camera meeting.

So while Mr. Garneau is barred from discussing what happened at the meeting, we can say this - the Conservatives have a majority on PROC and this motion has now mysteriously disappeared from the order paper.

In fact, that's incorrect -- the meeting in question was, in fact, scheduled to be held in public, which is why I was able to get a copy of the motion in question in advance: 

That the Committee begin a study into what reasonable limits should be placed on the consideration of Omnibus legislation in recognition of Parliament's fundamental purpose to provide appropriate oversight of the Government; and that the committee report its findings, including specific recommendations for legislative measures or changes to the Standing Orders, to the House no later than Dec.10, 2012.

Alas, within minutes -- three, to be precise -- of yesterday's session getting underway,  Conservative members voted to take it in camera, and the rest, as they say, is history. Wait, no -- what's the opposite of history, which, by its very nature, requires some sort of official record to exist? The rest is that, anyway.

In any case, behold your transparent, accountable Parliament, Canadians!