HUMA Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Human Resources, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities met at 11:03 a.m. this day, in Room 209, West Block, the Chair, Dean Allison, presiding.

At 11:06 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 11:10 a.m., the sitting resumed.

The witnesses made statements and answered questions.

At 12:44 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 12:49 p.m., the Committee resumed sitting in camera.

The Chair presented the 2nd Report from the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure which read as follows:

1. That, notwithstanding the motion adopted by the Committee on June 15 concerning travel dates for the Committee in its study of employability in Canada, the new schedule for travel be as follows: October 23 St.John’s (Nfld), October 24 Halifax, October 25 Montréal, October 26 and 27 Toronto, November 8 Vancouver, November 9 Calgary, November 10 Saskatoon.

2. That, notwithstanding the motion adopted by the Committee on June 13, 2006, concerning the appearance of the Ministers Jean-Pierre Blackburn and Diane Finley, that these Ministers appear once again individually before the Committee after the Fall Supplementary Estimates are published, but before the date on which the Committee must report to the House of Commons on the Main Estimates, preferably on October 17 (Mr. Blackburn) and on October 19 (Ms. Finlay).

3. That a committee meeting be devoted to hear the National Council on Welfare, the National Anti Poverty Organization, Vince Calderhead, the Ontario Task Force on Modernizing Income Security for Working-Age Adult and the Algoma University on recent reports they have published on poverty and to discuss the factors aggravating poverty among the poorest and the low-wages workers.

It was agreed, — That motion no. 2 be amended by deleting the words “after the Fall Supplementary Estimates are published, but before the date on which the Committee must report to the House of Commons on the Main Estimates, preferably”.

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

That, notwithstanding the motion adopted by the Committee on June 13, 2006, concerning the appearance of the Ministers Jean-Pierre Blackburn and Diane Finley, that these Ministers appear once again individually before the Committee on October 17 (Mr. Blackburn) and on October 19 (Ms. Finlay).

It was agreed, — That the motion no. 3 be amended by adding after the words “Algoma University” the following: “and or other groups”.

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

That a committee meeting be devoted to hear the National Council on Welfare, the National Anti Poverty Organization, Vince Calderhead, the Ontario Task Force on Modernizing Income Security for Working-Age Adult, the Algoma University and or other groups on recent reports they have published on poverty and to discuss the factors aggravating poverty among the poorest and the low-wages workers.

It was agreed, — That the report of the Subcommittee , as amended, be concurred in.

At 1:09 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.