HEAL Committee Meeting

Meeting No. 1

Thursday, October 28, 1999

The Standing Committee on Health met at 9:40 a.m. this day, in Room 371, West Block, for organization purposes.

Members of the Committee present: Yvon Charbonneau, Reed Elley, Gurmant Grewal, Ovid Jackson, Keith Martin, Bill Matthews, Ted McWhinney, Réal Ménard, Lynn Myers, Bernard Patry, Paul Szabo, Greg Thompson, Rose-Marie Ur, Judy Wasylycia-Leis.

Acting Members present: Jocelyne Girard-Bujold for Christiane Gagnon, Murray Calder for Karen Redman.

In attendance: From the Library of Parliament: Odette Madore, Nancy Miller Chenier and Sonya Norris, Research Officers.

Pursuant to Standing Orders 106(1) and 106(2), the Clerk of the Committee presided over the election of the Chair.

On motion of Ovid Jackson, seconded by Réal Ménard, it was agreed, -- That Lynn Myers do take the chair of the committee as Chair.

Accordingly, Lynn Myers was declared duly elected Chair of the Committee and took the chair.

Keith Martin moved, -- That Bernard Patry be elected Government Vice-Chair of the Committee.

After debate, by unanimous consent, it was agreed, -- That the motion be withdrawn.

On motion of Yvon Charbonneau, it was agreed, -- That Ovid Jackson be elected Government Vice-Chair of the Committee.

On motion of Gurmant Grewal, it was agreed, --That Reed Elley be elected Opposition Vice-Chair of the Committee.

The Committee proceeded to consider routine motions.

It was agreed, -- That the Chair, the two Vice-Chairs, the Parliamentary Secretary and a representative of each of the Bloc Québécois, the New Democratic Party and the Progressive Conservative Party, do compose the Sub-Committee on Agenda and Procedure.

It was agreed, -- That the Committee retain the services of one or more Research Officers from the Library of Parliament, as needed, to assist the Committee in its works, at the discretion of the Chairman.

It was moved, -- That forty-eight (48) hours notice be given to the members of the Committee before any substantive motion is considered by the Committee unless the Committee gives consent otherwise.

Réal Ménard moved, -- That the motion be amended by substituting the words "48 hours" with the following: "24 hours".

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was negatived.

After further debate, the question being put on the main motion, it was agreed to by a show of hands - YEAS: 8, NAYS: 7

It was moved, -- That the Clerk of the Committee be authorized to circulate the documents received only when they exist in both official languages.

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

It was moved, -- That the Chair be authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence when a quorum is not present provided that at least three (3) Members are present, including a member of the Opposition.

After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was agreed to by a show of hands -

YEAS: 8, NAYS: 3

Réal Ménard moved, -- That witnesses be given ten (10) minutes for their opening statement; and

-- That, at the discretion of the Chair, during the questioning of witnesses, there be allocated seven (7) minutes for the first questioner of each party in the following order: Reform, Bloc Québécois, Liberal, New Democratic and Progressive Conservative parties; and

-- That thereafter three (3) minutes be allocated to each subsequent questioner alternating between Government and Opposition parties.

Keith Martin moved, -- That the motion be amended by adding after the words "Opposition parties" the following: ", but that the Opposition parties go in order from Reform to Bloc Québécois to New Democratic Party to Progressive Conservative parties".

After debate the question being put on the amendment, it was agreed to.

Bernard Patry moved, -- That the motion be amended by deleting the words "and Progressive Conservative parties" and replacing them with the following: ", Progressive Conservative and Liberal parties".

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was agreed to.

After further debate, the question being put on the main motion, as amended, it was agreed to.

It was agreed, -- That, as established by the Board of Internal Economy and if requested, reasonable travelling, accommodation, and living expenses be reimbursed to witnesses who are invited to appear before the Committee up to a maximum of two (2) representatives for any one organization; and

-- That payment for more than two (2) representatives in exceptional circumstances be at the discretion of the Chair.

It was agreed, -- That the Committee authorize the Chairman, from time to time, as the need arises, to take, in conjunction with the Clerk of the Committee, the appropriate measures to provide meals for the Committee and its Sub-Committees, for working purposes, and that the cost of these lunches be charged to the budget of the Committee.

Réal Ménard moved, -- That a briefing session by the Department of Health be organized for Members of the Committee.

It was agreed, -- That the matter of scheduling a briefing session be referred to the Sub-Committee on Agenda and Procedure.

Gurmant Grewal moved, -- That no in camera meetings shall occur without a vote by the Committee in an open meeting.

Keith Martin moved, -- That the motion be amended by adding after the words "open meeting" the following: "and, -- That the decision to go in camera must be passed by a two-thirds majority of the Committee."

After debate, the question being put on the amendment, it was negatived by a show of hands -

YEAS: 6, NAYS: 7

It was agreed, -- That the matter of scheduling meetings be referred to the Sub-Committee on Agenda and Procedure.

It was agreed, -- That the Sub-Committee on Agenda and Procedure meet on Tuesday, November 2, 1999 at 9:30 a.m. to discuss future business.

It was agreed, -- That Members of the Committee send their requests for future business to the Clerk of the Committee.

At 10:26 a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Roxanne Enman
Clerk of the Committee