HUMA 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. 73

Thursday, May 10, 2007

The Standing Committee on Human Resources, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities met at 3:35 p.m. this day, in Room 209, West Block, the Chair, Dean Allison, presiding.

Members of the Committee present: Dean Allison, Patrick Brown, Ruby Dhalla, Mike Lake, Yves Lessard, Gary Merasty, Michael Savage and Lynne Yelich.

Acting Members present: Vivian Barbot for France Bonsant, Olivia Chow for Tony Martin, Mark Holland for Mario Silva and Bruce Stanton for Hon. Michael D. Chong.

In attendance: Library of Parliament: Kevin Kerr, Analyst . House of Commons: Marc Toupin, Legislative Clerk.

Witnesses: Department of Human Resources and Social Development: Christian D.R. Beaulieu, Senior Counsel and Team Leader, Legal Services, Information Management and Social Programs Groups; Glennie Graham, Director, Child and Youth Policy Division; Shawn Tupper, Director General, Social Policy Development.

Pursuant to the Order of Reference of Wednesday, November 22, 2006, the Committee resumed consideration of Bill C-303, An Act to establish criteria and conditions in respect of funding for early learning and child care programs in order to ensure the quality, accessibility, universality and accountability of those programs, and to appoint a council to advise the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development on matters relating to early learning and child care.

The witnesses made statements and answered questions.

At 4:08 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 4:15 p.m., the sitting resumed.

The Committee commenced its clause-by-clause study of the Bill.

Pursuant to Standing Order 75(1), consideration of Clause 1 and the preamble are postponed.

The Chair called Clause 2.

The Chair expressed doubts regarding the admissibility of three amendments to Clause 2 standing in the name of Ruby Dhalla.

After debate, the Chair ruled the three amendments as inadmissible because they were beyond the scope of the Bill, as provided on page 654 of House of Commons Procedure and Practice.

Whereupon, Ruby Dhalla appealed the decision of the Chair.

The question: "Shall the decision of the Chair be sustained?" was put and the decision was overturned on the following recorded division: YEAS: Patrick Brown, Mike Lake, Bruce Stanton, Lynne Yelich — 4; NAYS: Vivian Barbot, Olivia Chow, Ruby Dhalla, Mark Holland, Yves Lessard, Gary Merasty, Michael Savage — 7.

On Clause 2,

Ruby Dhalla moved, — That Bill C-303, in Clause 2 , be amended by adding after line 15 on page 1 the following:

““aboriginal peoples' organization” means an organization of First Nations, Inuit or Métis people.”

Debate arose thereon.

Olivia Chow moved, — That the amendment be amended by adding after the word “Nations” the following:

“Band Governments”

After debate, the question was put on the subamendment of Olivia Chow and it was agreed to.

The question was put on the amendment of Ruby Dhalla, as amended, and it was agreed to on the following recorded division: YEAS: Vivian Barbot, Olivia Chow, Ruby Dhalla, Mark Holland, Yves Lessard, Gary Merasty, Michael Savage — 7; NAYS: — 0.

Ruby Dhalla moved, — That Bill C-303, in Clause 2, be amended by replacing line 5 on page 2 with the following:

“province, territory, institution, aboriginal peoples’ organization or corporate”

Olivia Chow moved, — That the amendment be amended by adding after the word “institution,” the following:

“First Nations Band Governments”

By unanimous consent, the subamendment was withdrawn.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Ruby Dhalla and it was agreed to.

Ruby Dhalla moved, — That Bill C-303, in Clause 2 , be amended by replacing line 14 on page 2 with the following:

“child care program of a province, territory or aboriginal peoples’ organization by”

Debate arose thereon.

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

It was agreed, — That the Sub-commitee on Agenda and Procedure meet to consider the Committee's agenda.

At 5:35 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Christine Lafrance
Clerk of the Committee

2007/05/14 2:28 p.m.