CIMM Committee Meeting

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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 45

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

The Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration met in a televised session at 8:50 a.m. this day, in Room 237-C, Centre Block, the Chair, David Tilson, presiding.

Members of the Committee present: Olivia Chow, Nicolas Dufour, Rick Dykstra, Nina Grewal, Robert Oliphant, Devinder Shory, Thierry St-Cyr, David Tilson, Tim Uppal, Alice Wong and Borys Wrzesnewskyj.

Acting Members present: Libby Davies for Olivia Chow and Kevin Lamoureux for Justin Trudeau.

In attendance: Library of Parliament: Julie Béchard, Analyst ; Daphne Keevil Harrold, Analyst.

Witnesses: Department of Citizenship and Immigration: Michael Boekhoven, Immigration Program Manager, Nairobi, Kenya; Liisa Coulombe, Unit Supervisor, Permanent Residents, Nairobi, Kenya; Taitu Deguefé, Deputy Program Manager; Rénald Gilbert, Director General, International Region; Sean McLuckie, Immigration Program Manager, Taipei, Taiwan.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the Committee on Thursday, March 18, 2010, the Committee resumed its study of immigration application process wait times.

Rénald Gilbert and Michael Boekhoven made statements and answered questions.

At 9:45 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 9:48 a.m., the sitting resumed.

Sean McLuckie made a statement and, with Rénald Gilbert, answered questions.

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

Thierry St-Cyr moved, — That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the following be reported to the House at the earliest opportunity:

That, while it recognizes the exclusive jurisdiction of the Department of Citizenship and Immigration (CIC) to establish the list of drugs covered by the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP), the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration recommends that the government rapidly reach a formal IFHP agreement with the Association québécoise des pharmaciens propriétaires (AQPP); and

That the Committee recommends furthermore that CIC immediately conform to the terms of the temporary agreement, reached on February 2, 2011, which provides for the processing of claims from all AQPP members, including those that have not individually registered with Medavie Blue Cross.

Rick Dykstra moved, — That the motion be amended by adding after the words “earliest opportunity” the following:

“That, while it recognizes the exclusive jurisdiction of the Department of Citizenship and Immigration (CIC) to establish the list of drugs covered by the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP), the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration recommends that the government and the Association québécoise des pharmaciens propriétaires (AQPP) proceed as quickly as possible to resolve outstanding issues; and

That the Committee recommends furthermore that CIC and AQPP continue in the interim to conform to the terms of the temporary agreement, reached on February 2, 2011, which provides for the processing of claims from pharmacists in Quebec”.

Debate arose thereon.

At 10:38 a.m., by unanimous consent and pursuant to Standing Order 115(5), it was agreed that the Committee continue to sit.

The question was put on the amendment of Rick Dykstra and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 5; NAYS: 6.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 6; NAYS: 5.

At 10:55 a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Julie Lalande Prud'homme
Clerk of the Committee

2011-03-28 2:40 p.m.