HESA Committee Meeting

Notices of Meeting include information about the subject matter to be examined by the committee and date, time and place of the meeting, as well as a list of any witnesses scheduled to appear. The Evidence is the edited and revised transcript of what is said before a committee. The Minutes of Proceedings are the official record of the business conducted by the committee at a sitting.

For an advanced search, use Publication Search tool.

If you have any questions or comments regarding the accessibility of this publication, please contact us at accessible@parl.gc.ca.

Previous day publication Next day publication

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 22

Monday, February 21, 2005

The Standing Committee on Health met in a televised session at 3:31 p.m. this day, in Room 253-D Centre Block, the Chair, Bonnie Brown, presiding.

Members of the Committee present: Bonnie Brown, Jean Crowder, Nicole Demers, Steven John Fletcher, James Lunney, Réal Ménard, Michael John Savage and Hon. Robert Thibault.

Acting Members present: Gary Goodyear for Colin Carrie and Charlie Penson for Rob Merrifield.

In attendance: Library of Parliament: Nancy Miller Chenier, Analyst ; Sonya Norris, Analyst.

Witnesses: Office of the Auditor General of Canada: Sheila Fraser, Auditor General of Canada; Ronald Campbell, Assistant Auditor General; Frank Barrett, Director. Department of Health: Hélène Gosselin, Associate Deputy Minister; Ian Potter, Assistant Deputy Minister, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch; Leslie MacLean, Director General, Non-Insured Health Benefits Directorate, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch. Correctional Services Canada: Fraser McVie, Acting Assistant Commissioner, Correctional Operations and Programs; Cheryl Fraser, Assistant Commissioner, Performance Assurance. Royal Canadian Mounted Police: Kevin Mole, Assistant Commissioner, Director General, Occupational Health and Safety.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the Committee on Thursday, October 21, 2004, the Committee commenced its study of the Report of the Auditor General of Canada (Chapter 4: Management of Federal Drug Benefit Programs).

Steven John Fletcher moved, — That the Committee consider the two motions appearing on the agenda before proceeding with the testimony of the witnesses.

Debate arose thereon.

The Chair ruled that the Committee would proceed with the testimony of the witnesses and the questions by members before consideration of the two proposed motions.

Whereupon, Steven John Fletcher appealed the decision of the Chair.

The question: "Shall the decision of the Chair be sustained?" was put and the decision was sustained, by a show of hands: YEAS: 4; NAYS: 4.

The Chair's decision was sustained as the question was not negatived.

Sheila Fraser, Hélène Gosselin, Cheryl Fraser and Kevin Mole made statements and, with Ian Potter, Ronald Campbell and Fraser McVie, answered questions.

The Committee proceeded to the consideration of matters related to Committee business.

Steven John Fletcher moved, — That the Standing Committee on Health request that the federal government appoint the Auditor General to provide external performance audits on health-related government foundations such as Canada Health Infoway, Canadian Health Services Research Foundation, Genome Canada, and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation.

Steven John Fletcher moved, — That the question be now put.

Debate arose thereon.

The Chair ruled the proposed motion inadmissible as the previous question is not admissible in any committee, as provided on page 456 of House of Commons Procedure and Practice.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 7; NAYS: 2.

Steven John Fletcher moved, — That the Standing Committee on Health request that the federal government, as the fifth largest provider of health care in Canada, provide full and transparent details of its activities as they pertain to the delivery of health care services and the costs associated with their delivery.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to.

At 5:32 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Carmen DePape
Clerk of the Committee

2005-02-22 4:30 p.m.