HUMA Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities met at 11:00 a.m. this day, in Room C-110, 1 Wellington Street, the Chair, Phil McColeman, presiding.

Marny Wiliams, via videoconference, from Waterloo, Ontario, Barry Thorsteinson, Janet Gray and Marny Williams made statements and answered questions.

Jinny Jogindera Sims moved, — That the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, at its earliest opportunity, undertake a study of the functionality of the Social Security Tribunal.

Scott Armstrong moved, — That the Committee proceed to sit in camera .

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 5; NAYS: 4.

At 12:21 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 12:23 p.m., the sitting resumed in camera.

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

It was agreed, — That, notwithstanding any prior decision, the Committee no longer meet on Tuesday, November 4, 2014.

It was agreed, — That, the Committee meet only on business referred to it by the House of Commons, including but not limited to government legislation, private members' legislation or estimates.

It was agreed, — That a proposed budget in the amount of $2,000, for the study of Bill C-591, An act to amend the Canada Pension Plan and the Old Age Security Act (pension and benefits), be adopted.

It was agreed, — That a proposed budget in the amount of $6,000, for the study of Bill C-247, An act to expand the mandate of Service Canada in respect of the death of a Canadian citizen or Canadian resident, be adopted.

At 12:45 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 12:47 p.m., the sitting resumed in public.

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

Pursuant to Standing Order 75(1), consideration of the Preamble and Clause 1, Short Title, were postponed.

The Chair called Clause 2.

On Clause 2,

“2. (1) The Minister of Employment and Social Development must implement measures necessary to establish the Department of Employment and Social Development as the main point of contact with the Government of Canada in respect of matters relating to the death of a Canadian citizen or resident that pertain to the use of that person’s social insurance number, so that no person is required to communicate directly with all persons to whom information about that deceased citizen or resident may be made available under subsection 28.2(5) or subsection 35(1) of the Department of Employment and Social Development Act .

(2) On receiving notification of the death of a Canadian citizen or resident, the Canada Employment Insurance Commission must, if it may make information relating to that deceased citizen or resident available to any persons under subsection 28.2(5) of the Department of Employment and Social Development Act, do so, subject to the conditions that would apply if the Commission were to make that information available under that subsection.

(3) On receiving notification of the death of a Canadian citizen or resident, the Minister of Employment and Social Development must, if the Minister may make information relating to the deceased citizen or resident that pertains to the use of their social insurance number available to a minister or public officer of a prescribed federal institution, under subsection 35(1) of the Department of Employment and Social Development Act, do so, subject to the conditions referred to in that subsection.

(4) For the purpose of subsections 28.2(6) or 35(2) of the Department of Employment and Social Development Act, the information made available to any person under subsection (2) or (3), is deemed to have been obtained, respectively, under subsection 28.2(5) or 35(1) of that Act.”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Scott Armstrong and it was agreed to.

The Chair ruled that the following three (3) amendments were consequential to the previous amendment and therefore they were also adopted:

“1. This Act may be cited as the Main Point of Contact with the Government of Canada in case of Death Act.”

That Bill C-247, in the preamble, be amended

(a) by replacing lines 1 to 4 on page 1 with the following:

“Whereas the Department of Employment and Social Development offers Canadians a point of access to a”

(b) by replacing lines 8 to 14 on page 1 with the following:

“And whereas it is desirable to improve services to Canadians by providing those Canadians who have recently lost a loved one with a point of contact for the Government of Canada in respect of matters relating to the death of that person that pertain to the use of that person’s social insurance number;”

That Bill C-247 be amended by replacing the long title on page 1 with the following:

“An Act to provide that the Department of Employment and Social Development is the main point of contact with the Government of Canada in respect of the death of a Canadian citizen or resident”

Clause 2, as amended, carried.

Clause 3 carried.

On new Clause 4,

“ANNUAL REPORT

4. (1) The Minister of Employment and Social Development must, after the end of every fiscal year, report on the implementation of the measures referred to in section 2 during that fiscal year.

(2) The Minister must cause the information relating to the implementation of the measures to be laid before each House of Parliament during the fiscal year after the fiscal year to which the information relates.”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Scott Armstrong and it was agreed to.

Clause 1, Short Title, as amended, carried.

The Preamble, as amended, carried.

The Bill, as amended, carried.

ORDERED, — That the Chair report the Bill, as amended, to the House.

ORDERED, — That Bill C-247, as amended, be reprinted for the use of the House at report stage.

At 1:00 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.