HUMA Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities met at 3:28 p.m. this day, in Room 237-C, Centre Block, for the purpose of electing a Chair, pursuant to Standing Order 106(1).

On motion of Joe Daniel, it was agreed, — That Ed Komarnicki be elected Chair of the Committee.

By unanimous consent, the Clerk of the Committee presided over the election of the Vice-Chairs.

On motion of Jean Crowder, it was agreed, — That Carol Hugues be elected First Vice-Chair of the Committee.

On motion of Carol Hughes, it was agreed, — That Rodger Cuzner be elected Second Vice-Chair of the Committee.

Ed Komarnicki took the Chair.

On motion of Kellie Leitch, it was agreed, — That the Committee retain, as needed and at the discretion of the Chair, the services of one or more analysts from the Library of Parliament to assist it in its work.

Brad Butt moved, — That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of five (5) members, including the Chair, the two (2) Vice-chairs, the Parliamentary Secretary, and a member of the Conservative Party.

The Quorum of the Subcommittee shall consist of at least three (3) members.

Each member of the Subcommittee shall be permitted to have one (1) assistant attend any meetings of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure.

In addition, each party shall be permitted to have one (1) staff member from a House Officer attend any meetings.

Debate arose thereon.

Jean Crowder moved, — That the motion be amended by adding after the words “three (3) members” the following: “including one (1) member of an opposition party”.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Jean Crowder and it was agreed to.

The question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to.

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of five (5) members, including the Chair, the two (2) Vice-chairs, the Parliamentary Secretary, and a member of the Conservative Party;

That the Quorum of the Subcommittee shall consist of at least three (3) members, including one (1) member of an opposition party;

That each member of the Subcommittee shall be permitted to have one (1) assistant attend any meetings of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure;

That in addition, each party shall be permitted to have one (1) staff member from a House Officer attend any meetings.

On motion of Colin Mayes, it was agreed, — That the Chair be authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence and to have that evidence printed when a quorum is not present, provided that at least four (4) members are present, including one (1) member from each recognized party;

That, in the case of previously scheduled meetings taking place outside the Parliamentary precinct, the Committee members in attendance shall only be required to wait for fifteen (15) minutes following the designated start of the meeting before they may proceed to hear witnesses and receive evidence, regardless of whether opposition or government members are present.

Phil McColeman moved, — That the witnesses from any one organization shall be allowed five (5) to ten (10) minutes, at the discretion of the chair, to make their opening statements;

That during the questioning of witnesses there shall be five (5) minutes allocated to each questioner; and

That the order of questions for the first and subsequent rounds of questioning shall be as follows:

- Conservative Party (5 minutes),

- New Democratic Party (5 minutes),

- Conservative Party (5 minutes),

- New Democratic Party (5 minutes),

- Conservative Party (5 minutes) and

- Liberal (5 minutes).

By unanimous consent, the motion was withdrawn.

Phil McColeman moved, — That the witnesses from any one organization shall be allowed five (5) to ten (10) minutes, at the discretion of the chair, to make their opening statements;

That during the questioning of witnesses where only one (1) panel of witnesses has been invited to appear before the Committee, there shall be seven (7) minutes allocated to each questioner and that the order of questions for the first and subsequent rounds of questioning shall be as follows:

- Conservative Party (7 minutes);

- New Democratic Party (7 minutes);

- Conservative Party (7 minutes);

- New Democratic Party (7 minutes);

- Conservative Party (7 minutes;

- Liberal (7 minutes);

That, during the questioning of witnesses where two (2) panels of witnesses have been invited to appear before the Committee, there shall be five (5) minutes allocated to each questioner and that the order of questions for the first and subsequent rounds of questioning shall be as follows:

- Conservative Party (5 minutes);

- New Democratic Party (5 minutes);

- Conservative Party (5 minutes);

- New Democratic Party (5 minutes);

- Conservative Party (5 minutes);

- Liberal (5 minutes).

Debate arose thereon.

Kellie Leitch moved, — That the motion be amended by deleting all the words after “their opening statements;” and replacing them with the following: “That, during the questioning of witnesses where only one (1) panel of witnesses has been invited to appear before the Committee, there shall be seven (7) minutes allocated to each questioner and that the order of questions for the first and subsequent rounds of questioning shall be as follows:

- New Democratic Party (7 minutes);

- Conservative Party (7 minutes);

- New Democratic Party (7 minutes);

- Conservative Party (7 minutes);

- Liberal (7 minutes);

- Conservative Party (7 minutes);

That, during the questioning of witnesses where two (2) panels of witnesses have been invited to appear before the Committee, there shall be five (5) minutes allocated to each questioner and that the order of questions for the first and subsequent rounds of questioning shall be as follows:

- New Democratic Party (5 minutes);

- Conservative Party (5 minutes);

- New Democratic Party (5 minutes);

- Conservative Party (5 minutes);

- Liberal (5 minutes);

- Conservative Party (5 minutes).”.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Kellie Leitch and it was agreed to.

Carol Hughes moved, — That the motion be amended by replacing the words “five (5) to ten (10) minutes” with the words “five (5) minutes for meetings with two (2) panels of witnesses and ten (10) minutes for meetings with one (1) panel of witnesses”.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Carol Hughes and it was negatived.

The question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to.

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

That the witnesses from any one organization shall be allowed five (5) to ten (10) minutes, at the discretion of the chair, to make their opening statements;

That, during the questioning of witnesses where only one (1) panel of witnesses has been invited to appear before the Committee, there shall be seven (7) minutes allocated to each questioner and that the order of questions for the first and subsequent rounds of questioning shall be as follows:

- NDP (7 minutes);

- Conservative Party (7 minutes);

- NDP (7 minutes);

- Conservative Party (7 minutes);

- Liberal (7 minutes);

- Conservative Party (7 minutes);

That, during the questioning of witnesses where two (2) panels of witnesses have been invited to appear before the Committee, there shall be five (5) minutes allocated to each questioner and that the order of questions for the first and subsequent rounds of questioning shall be as follows:

- NPD (5 minutes);

- Conservative Party (5 minutes);

- NPD (5 minutes);

- Conservative Party (5 minutes);

- Liberal (5 minutes);

- Conservative Party (5 minutes).

On motion of Brad Butt, it was agreed, — That only the Clerk of the Committee be authorized to distribute to the members of the Committee any documents, including motions, and that all documents which are to be distributed amongst the committee members must be in both official languages and the Clerk shall advise all witnesses appearing before committee of this requirement.

On motion of Brad Butt, it was agreed, — That the Committee hereby authorize the Clerk of the Committee, in consultation with the Chair, to make the necessary arrangements to provide for working meals, as may be required, and that the cost of these meals be charged to the Committee budget.

Brad Butt moved, — That, if requested, reasonable travel, accommodation and living expenses be reimbursed to witnesses, not exceeding two (2) representatives per organization and that, in exceptional circumstances, payment for more representatives be made at the discretion of the Chair.

Debate arose thereon.

On motion of Jean Crowder, it was agreed, — That the motion be amended by adding after the word “accommodation” the following: “child care”.

On motion of Carol Hughes, it was agreed, — That the motion be amended by adding after the words “child care” the following: “, attendant care”.

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

That, if requested, reasonable travel, accommodation, child care, attendant care and living expenses be reimbursed to witnesses, not exceeding two (2) representatives per organization and that, in exceptional circumstances, payment for more representatives be made at the discretion of the Chair.

On motion of Kellie Leitch, it was agreed, — That each Committee member in attendance shall be permitted to have one (1) staff member attend any in camera meetings. In addition, each party shall be permitted to have one staff member from a House Officer attend in camera meetings.

On motion of Brad Butt, it was agreed, — That in camera meetings be transcribed and that the transcription be kept with the Clerk of the Committee for later consultation by members of the Committee or by their staff.

On motion of Brad Butt, it was agreed, — That a notice of 48 hours, interpreted as two (2) nights, be required before a member may move a substantive motion, unless it deals directly with the matter before the Committee at that time, provided that: (a) this notice be emailed to the Committee Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday; (b) the notice be distributed by e-mail to members in both official languages by the Clerk on the same day the said notice was transmitted if it was received no later than the deadline hour; (c) notices received after the deadline hour be deemed to have been received during the next business day; and (d) this rule does not prevent a member to give notice of a motion orally during a meeting of the Committee, in which case notice shall be deemed to have been given before the deadline that day.

On motion of Kellie Leitch, it was agreed, — That Phil McColeman be appointed on the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, as the member from the Conservative Party.

On motion of Brad Butt, it was agreed, — That the amount for the 2011 Centennial Flame Research Award be set at $5, 500; that the press release and the application form for the 2011 edition of the Centennial Flame Research Award be published on the Committee’s website and that October 15, 2011, be set as the deadline to submit applications; and that the Chair and the Clerk be authorized to take means, such as preparing an ad for the Members householders, in order to give the Award some publicity.

Brad Butt moved, — That the Committee resume its study of the Federal Support Measures to Adoptive Parents started in the previous parliament and, that the evidence and documentation received by the Committee during the third session of the 40th Parliament on the subject be taken into consideration by the Committee in this session.

Debate arose thereon.

Jean Crowder moved, — That the motion be amended by replacing the words “resume its” with the words “be provided with the information on the previous” and that the words “in deciding whether to resume the study” be added after the words “in this session”.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Jean Crowder and it was agreed to.

The question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to.

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

That the Committee be provided with the information on the previous study of the Federal Support Measures to Adoptive Parents started in the previous parliament and, that the evidence and documentation received by the Committee during the third session of the 40th Parliament on the subject be taken into consideration by the Committee in this session in deciding whether to resume the study.

At 4:23 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.