E. Turner provided the Committee with an overview of several items coming out of the March 4 Committee of the Whole.
First, the committee work plans were reviewed at this meeting and Council suggested that the Committee include an item relation to Indigenous reconciliation. E. Turner noted that this was not the primary function of the Committee but suggested that participation in the Indigenous Relations Framework be added to the work plan as this project will launch in fall 2025. T. Barnett asked if participation in this project would be a significant time commitment for committee members and E. Turner replied that it would not and would primarily consist of commenting on the initiative in the context of committee meetings. A. Hart agreed that this was the best role for the committee since their role was built-heritage related. J. Hartman suggested that commenting was the limit of the committee's role and was not sure what else would fall within the committee's purview. A. Hart also suggested that the Committee needed some additional training to undertake this role.
E. Turner also told the Committee that the Clerk's Office had brought forward a report regarding several committee functions. The first was with regard to awards. Committees that have awards programs will now be allowed to meet in closed session to review awards nominations. The committee's recommendations will then be brought forward to Council under the cover of a staff report for approval. The goal is to provide more consistency and transparency across City processes. A. Hart thought that meeting in closed session was a good idea. I. McKechnie asked if it would be the subcommittee or the entire committee and E. Turner replied it was the entire committee which would convene at the end of a regular committee meeting. This recommendation will be ratified by Council on March 18.
E. Turner also discussed the second item brought forward by the Clerk's Office which was that they were proposing that Committees no longer be able to convene subcommittees. The intention behind this decision is due to a recommendation from the Ontario Ombudsman which found that subcommittees were not transparent when committee meetings should be fully public. If Council ratifies this recommendation, the Committees subcommittees will need to be disbanded and the work they do will need to take place in regular committee meetings. S. Sims asked if Council was likely to go ahead with the recommendation and E. Turner said that she thought so although there were some Councillors had some questions about it. S. Sims said it was a shame with the subcommittees did a lot of work that was really necessary. J. Hartman asked if they could have more official meetings or if the Committee was only allowed to meet once a month. E. Turner said the Committee could meet as much as necessary but would need to have quorum and a public agenda. A. Hart said there would need to be discussions about how to incorporate the subcommittee's work into committee meetings. I. McKechnie suggested that if Committee meetings become longer, that a break happen part way through. Councillor Richardson said she would take the Committee's comments to Council. S. Sims asked if it would make extra work for staff and E. Turner said it likely would. T. Barnett asked if it would go into effect immediately if approved by Council on the 18th and E. Turner replied it would. The Committee discussed the idea that for things such as site visits, Committee members could undertake these as individuals and report back to the Committee at its meetings. I. McKechnie asked how that would work for planning events and E. Turner replied it would have to be done in the context of the main committee meeting. A. Hart thought this would hamper the work the Committee did.