HEAL 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.
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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Meeting No. 39
TUESDAY, May 5, 1998
The Standing Committee on Health met at 9:07 o’clock a.m., this day, in Room 701, Promenade Building, the Chair, Beth Phinney, presiding.
Members of the Committee present: Carolyn Bennett, Elinor Caplan, Aileen Carroll, Reed Elley, Grant Hill, Lynn Myers, Pauline Picard, Greg Thompson, Joseph Volpe, Judy Wasylycia-Leis.
Acting Members present: John McKay for Rose-Marie Ur; Joe Fontana for Dan McTeague; Jacques Saada for Claude Drouin; Raymond Lavigne for Carolyn Bennett; Keith Martin for Maurice Vellacott.
In attendance: From the Research Branch of the Library of Parliament: Odette Madore and Nancy Miller-Chenier, Research Officers.
Pursuant to Standing Order 106(3), the Committee commenced consideration of the letter dated April 8, 1998, which reads as follows:
"Dear Mr. Prefontaine:
Pursuant to Standing Order 106(3), I request that a meeting of the Standing Committee on Health be convened within 10 sitting days. The purpose of that meeting shall be to question the Health Minister and government officials about the rationale and subsequent decision to exclude from an offer of compensation, those Canadians who contracted hepatitis C through tainted blood outside of the 1986 – 1990 timeframe.
In closing, I believe you will find the required number of signatures below and trust the request is in order. Should you have any questions in this regard, please do not hesitate to contact my office at your convenience.
(Signed) Reed Elley, M.P., Grant Hill, M.P., Maurice Vellacott, M.P., Judy Wasylycia-Leis, M.P."
Reed Elley moved, --That the Health Minister and government officials appear before the Standing Committee of Health by May 15, 1998 in order to answer questions about the rationale to exclude, from an offer of compensation, those Canadians who contracted hepatitis C through tainted blood outside of the 1986 – 1990 timeframe.
After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was negatived on the following division:
YEAS
Reed Elley Grant Hill
Keith Martin, Pauline Picard
Judy Wasylycia-Leis Greg Thompson – 6;
NAYS
Elinor Caplan Aileen Carroll
Jacques Saada Joe Fontana
Lynn Myers Joseph Volpe –6.
And the result of the vote having been announced: YEAS: 6; NAYS: 6;
Whereupon the Chair voted in the negative.
Pursuant to Standing Order 106(3), the Committee proceeded to the consideration of the letter dated April 23, 1998, which reads as follows:
"Dear Mr. Prefontaine,
Re: Standing Order 106(3)
Pursuant to Standing Order 106(3), a meeting of the Standing Committee on Health shall be convened within ten sitting days for the purpose of examining the successes and failures of the various organ and tissue procurement systems across Canada and the measures Health Canada is taking to improve upon these systems.
(Signed) Grant Hill, M.P., Reed Elley, M.P., Judy Wasylycia-Leis, M.P., Greg Thompson, M.P.".
Keith Martin moved, -- That the Minister and government officials appear before the Standing Committee in order to report on progress made in the area of organ transplantation since the adoption of M-222 by the House.
And a point of order having been raised as to the procedural acceptability of the proposed motion, the Chair ruled:
RULING BY THE CHAIR
Although the motion is in one official language only, it is in order, a Member of Parliament having the right to address himself or herself in the official language of his or her choice to the Committee, simultaneous interpretation being available at all times.
After debate, it was agreed, by unanimous consent, that the Committee postpone further consideration of the motion until such time as the Members have it in both official languages.
On motion of Lynn Myers, it was agreed, -- That all motions presented in the Committee be in both official languages.
At 9:50 o’clock a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.
ROGER PRÉFONTAINE
Clerk of the Committee