New Frontiers in Committees--Using Videoconferencing Technology.

• Position: Roundtable

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, many workplaces shut down. Some parliamentary committees didn't or couldn't. With physical distancing measures in place, some committees opted to use videoconferencing platforms to help continue operations. In this roundtable discussion, parliamentarians and committee clerks explain how the system has worked, where there have been issues that needed to be addressed, and what this technology may mean for the future of their work.

Participants: Richard Gotfried, MLA, Laura Mae Lindo, MPP, Valerie Quioc Lim, Shannon Phillips, MLA, Aaron Roth

CPR: Had you ever used a virtual video conferencing platform prior to using it for proceedings/committee work prior to the special measures for COVID-19? If so, how frequently?

Shannon Phillips: You mean in the 'before times'? (Laughs)

Richard Gotfried: I guess it's BC--Before COVID-19. (Laughs)

SP: I'd have to defer to Aaron, but I don't recall using it before for committee work. I remember bringing up the idea of using videoconferencing and being told that staff were investigating how it could work. We had used the telephone option before, but coming from our cabinet situation, we had often used videoconferencing in the last few years for some of our meetings. But we knew we'd have to figure out the Hansard pieces of using it and how to make it public. It's one thing to use it for a meeting and quite another to use it for legislative proceedings.

Aaron Roth: Committees at the Assembly had previously had situations where arrangements were made for a presenter to appear by videoconference, but it was nothing quite like this. Members had never videoconferenced into meetings before. The telephone conference option had been around for a while, though. I think it was in the 80s or 90s when the Legislative Assembly Act started permitting telephone conference options for committees if there was unanimous consent. A number of committees had definitely made use of the teleconference option, but this has been the first time videoconferencing has been used.

RG: Aaron, we had the capability to use it prior to this, right? It was more a case of not having pulled the trigger to use it. We had used it for one off presentations, but this was the first time we used it for voting for public accounts.

AR: All the committees, at the start of a session, decided whether to use the teleconference option. This was the first time videoconferencing was an option that had to be authorized as well.

Valerie Quioc Lim: In Ontario, witnesses were previously permitted to appear by teleconference or videoconference, while MPPs were required to participate in person. This was the first time Members could participate in committees remotely.

The House passed a motion on May 12, 2020, that allowed committees to use electronic means of communication when meeting according to the following guidelines: the electronic means of communication is approved by the Speaker; the meeting is held in the Legislative Building and the Chair/ Acting Chair and Clerk must be present physically; other Members participating remotely whose identity and location within Ontario has been verified by the Chair, are deemed present and included in quorum; and the Chair shall ensure that the Standing Orders and committee practices are observed to the greatest extent possible, making adjustments when necessary to facilitate physical distancing and electronic participation of Members and staff.

Laura Mae Lindo: I've had to use video conferencing and other interesting technologies like this prior to being elected. I used to teach technology integration as a part of teacher training. When post-secondary institutions started to promote more online courses, I used similar platforms to teach those courses. Some of them were blended, some were not. So, I had a little bit of experience, but not with proceedings. I think what was difficult was that you have different expectations for proceedings at work than in a classroom. But at least it gave me a background to draw from. I think it might have scared some of the other folks.

CPR: Can you describe how your first use of the technology for parliamentary purposes went? Were there any technical problems? Was it...