HUMA Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities met at 8:47 a.m. this day, in Room 7-52, 131 Queen Street, for the purpose of electing a Chair, pursuant to Standing Order 106(1).

On motion of Jinny Jogindera Sims, it was agreed, — That Phil McColeman be elected Chair of the Committee.

On motion of Scott Armstrong, it was agreed, — That Jinny Jogindera Sims be elected First Vice-Chair of the Committee.

On motion of Scott Armstrong, it was agreed, — That Rodger Cuzner be elected Second Vice-Chair of the Committee.

Phil McColeman took the Chair.

On motion of Scott Armstrong, it was agreed, — That the Committee proceed to sit in camera.

At 8:51 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 8:52 a.m., the sitting resumed in camera.

It was agreed, — Further to the Order adopted by the House on Tuesday, December 3, 2013, regarding changes to committee memberships, the Committee’s routine motion regarding questionning of witnesses be replaced by the folllowing:

That the witnesses from any one organization shall be allowed five (5) to ten (10) minutes, at the discretion of the Chair, to make their opening statements; that, during the questioning of witnesses where only one (1) witness has been invited to appear before the Committee per panel, there shall be allocated seven (7) minutes for the first round of questioning and thereafter five (5) minutes shall be allocated to each questioner in the second round of questioning; that the order of questions for the first round of questioning be as follows: New Democratic Party, Conservative Party, Liberal Party, Conservative Party; that the order of questions for the second round of questioning be as follows: New Democratic Party, Conservative Party, New Democratic Party, Conservative Party; that, for subsequent rounds, the Committee repeat the pattern of the second round; that, during the questioning of witnesses where two (2) or more witnesses have been invited to appear before the Committee, there shall be five (5) minutes allocated to each questioner and that the order of questioning shall be as follows: that the order for the first round of questioning be: New Democratic Party, Conservative Party, Liberal Party, Conservative Party; that the order for the second round of questioning be: New Democratic Party, Conservative Party, New Democratic Party, Conservative Party; that, for subsequent rounds, the Committee repeat the pattern of the second round.

It was agreed, — That, pursuant to Standing Order 97.1, the Committee undertake a study of Bill C-525, An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code, the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act and the Public Service Labour Relations Act (certification and revocation — bargaining agent).

It was agreed, — That the Committee hear from the sponsor of the Bill on Tuesday, February 11, 2014, for half an hour.

It was agreed, — That the Committee hear witnesses on this study on Tuesday, February 11, 2014, for one and a half (1.5) hours, and on Thursday, February 13, 2014, for one (1) hour.

It was agreed, — That the Committee proceed to clause by clause consideration of the Bill in the second hour of the meeting on Thursday, February 13, 2014.

It was agreed, — That the proposed operational budget in the amount of a maximum of $ 38,700 for the Committee's study of opportunities for Aboriginal persons in the workforce be adopted.

It was agreed, — That, in relation to its study on opportunities for Aboriginal persons in the workforce, the proposed budget in the amount of $ 20,724.80, for the Committee’s travel to Quebec City, Quebec, in winter-spring 2014, be adopted and that the Chair present the said budget to the Liaison Committee.

It was agreed, — That, in relation to its study on opportunities for Aboriginal persons in the workforce, the proposed budget in the amount of $ 72,250.30, for the Committee’s travel to Prince Rupert and Prince George, British Columbia, in winter-spring 2014, be adopted and that the Chair present the said budget to the Liaison Committee.

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

At 9:50 a.m., the sitting resumed in public.

Kara Flynn, Ian Anderson and Russel Mercredi made statements and, with Martha Matthew, answered questions.

At 10:45 a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.