HEAL Committee Meeting

STANDING COMMITTEE ON HEALTH

COMITÉ PERMANENT DE LA SANTÉ

EVIDENCE

[Recorded by Electronic Apparatus]

Wednesday, February 16, 2000

• 1236

[English]

The Chairman (Mr. Lynn Myers (Waterloo—Wellington, Lib.)): Ladies and gentlemen, we're calling this meeting to order.

As you know, we're on clause 31. In the absence of one more person to make quorum, I'm going to ask whether there is any discussion on or amendments to clause 31. If not, do we have agreement on clause 31?

Some hon. members: Agreed.

The Chairman: We'll turn next to clause 32. Do we have agreement on clause 32?

Some hon. members: Agreed.

Mr. Réal Ménard (Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, BQ): On division.

The Chairman: Thank you. As soon as we have quorum, we'll carry it forward.

Do we have agreement on clauses 33 to 52?

Some hon. members: Agreed.

Mr. Réal Ménard: On division.

The Chairman: On clause 1, the short title, can we assume that will be okay as well?

Some hon. members: Agreed.

The Chairman: Thank you.

On the preamble, there is a government minor amendment. Monsieur Charbonneau.

[Translation]

Mr. Yvon Charbonneau (Anjou—Rivière-des-Prairies, Lib.): We are moving a minor amendment in line 10 on page 2 of the French Version, namely that the words “en vue de coordonner, de centraliser” be replaced by “en vue de coordonner, de canaliser”. This corresponds to the English version which reads as follows:

[English]

WHEREAS Parliament believes that health research institutes should be created to coordinate, focus and integrate...

[Translation]

In the first version, the word “centraliser” was used to translate the word “focus”, but we prefer “canaliser”.

Moreover, this amendment ties in with a similar comment made by our colleague Mr. de Savoye. That is the gist of our amendment.

Mr. Réal Ménard: Any amendment aimed at eliminating a reference to centralization is quite acceptable to us.

Mr. Yvon Charbonneau: We prefer the word “canalisation”.

The Chairman: Thank you very much.

• 1240

[English]

We're going to agree to vote on that as soon as we have quorum.

Will the preamble carry?

Some hon. members: Agreed.

Mr. Réal Ménard: On division.

The Chairman: The title will also carry?

Some hon. members: Agreed.

The Chairman: The bill will also carry?

Some hon. members: Agreed.

[Translation]

Mr. Réal Ménard: On division.

[English]

The Chairman: And the report stage will go.

We have quorum now. We're going to call the question on all of those clauses we just spoke about.

(Clauses 31 to 52 inclusive agreed to)

The Chairman: We're now going to take government amendment 4.

(Amendment agreed to—See Minutes of Proceedings)

(Clause 1 as amended agreed to on division)

The Chairman: Shall the preamble carry?

Some hon. members: Agreed.

[Translation]

Mr. Réal Ménard: On division.

[English]

The Chairman: Shall the title carry?

Some hon. members: Agreed.

The Chairman: Shall the bill as amended carry?

Some hon. members: Agreed.

[Translation]

Mr. Réal Ménard: On division.

[English]

The Chairman: Shall I report the bill as amended to the House?

Some hon. members: Agreed.

[Translation]

Mr. Réal Ménard: Mr. Chairman, it was my understanding that the next step would be to present our report in the House, either tomorrow or the day after that.

[English]

The Chairman: No. What I'm planning to do, and I'm hoping we can do that relatively quickly today by virtue of getting through this clause-by-clause, is I'm going to try to report today at three o'clock.

[Translation]

Mr. Réal Ménard: Yes, but if we report back today, does that mean we will be discussing the amendments and the bill in its entirety in the House today?

[English]

The Chairman: No.

Mr. Réal Ménard: No.

The Chairman: It will be brought forward on Friday into the House.

[Translation]

Mr. Réal Ménard: You would like us to discuss the amendments on Friday and, as the opposition party, to make any suggestions that we feel might improve the bill.

[English]

The Chairman: Well, you have the opportunity at report stage to do whatever you, as a member, want to do, or you as a party.

[Translation]

Mr. Réal Ménard: It is the prerogative of opposition parties to table amendments in the House at the report stage. Our party intends to avail itself of this right, and that's why we did not table any amendments here in committee.

I'd like to know if we will be discussing amendments at the report stage on Friday, including any proposed amendments tabled by the Bloc Québécois. It was my understanding that the government would be tabling a report on the committee's activities this afternoon in the House and that we would be discussing the amendments on Friday.

What's that, Mr. Charbonneau?

[Editor's Note: Inaudible]

Mr. Yvon Charbonneau: —

Mr. Réal Ménard: But we will have amendments.

Mr. Yvon Charbonneau: Is that a fact!

Mr. Réal Ménard: Indeed. And I expect you to agree to them.

Mr. Yvon Charbonneau: Really.

[English]

The Chairman: Monsieur Ménard and all committee members, let me repeat this. This is the plan. I want to be able to report that this committee has finished its clause-by-clause today. I want to report that this afternoon at three o'clock.

We're hopeful that on Friday, if everything goes the way it should go, the government will be able to start the report stage at that time. At that point, you, as an individual member, and any party for that matter, can bring whatever amendments you deem appropriate based on your interests.

Ms. Judy Wasylycia-Leis (Winnipeg North Centre, NDP): I would sooner it be another day, other than Friday. The House leaders met yesterday, and it's not on the agenda for Friday.

The Chairman: Okay, I'm not party to any of that.

Ms. Judy Wasylycia-Leis: Sometime early next week.

The Chairman: All I'm saying is that I want this committee to conclude its work today, and I think we're all in agreement it should. Agreed?

Some hon. members: Agreed.

The Chairman: Great. I'm going back, then. Shall I report this bill as amended to the House?

Some hon. members: Agreed.

The Chairman: And by unanimous consent then, under Standing Order 108(2), shall I report the committee's recommendations on conflict of interest guidelines and aboriginal health issues to the House, as we discussed yesterday, you recall?

Some hon. members: Agreed.

The Chairman: Thank you.

Shall the committee order a reprint of the bill for use at report stage?

Some hon. members: Agreed.

The Chairman: Thank you. I think that concludes the bill, and I will report appropriately.

Is it agreed that the committee hold meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays only from here on in? You recall we had Wednesdays because of the importance of this bill. So we'll go back to Tuesdays and Thursdays. Is that agreed?

[Translation]

Mr. Réal Ménard: In the afternoon.

[English]

The Chairman: In the afternoons.

[Translation]

Mr. Réal Ménard: You will recall that we had agreed to change our schedule and meet Tuesday afternoon.

[English]

The Chairman: Yes. We're a very accommodating committee—to not only you, but to all members.

• 1245

Mr. Réal Ménard: And I have an example.

The Chairman: Yes. Thank you.

We will not meet next Thursday, but we will have a steering committee next Tuesday to try to scope out future business. Is that agreed?

Some hon. members: Agreed.

Ms. Judy Wasylycia-Leis: This Thursday, you mean?

The Chairman: No, we certainly will not meet this Thursday. We will meet next Tuesday for a steering committee meeting and we will not meet next Thursday, just Tuesday.

Monsieur Ménard first, then Ms. Wasylycia-Leis.

[Translation]

Mr. Réal Ménard: Mr. Chairman, I'd like the committee to agree to a motion congratulating the Health Canada officials who worked with us and praising them for their patience. We did have some rough spots, and you can certainly attest to that, but overall, I think we can agree that everything went rather smoothly and that congratulations are in order.

[English]

Some hon. members: Hear, hear!

The Chairman: Very good.

Thank you very much. Had you not done that, I would have, so thank you.

And might we also add our long-suffering clerk and her associate, and of course our tremendous researchers.

I might point out that Sonya Norris, who as you can see is going to have a child, has been waiting for this moment for a long time.

How about a round of applause for all these folks.

Some hon. members: Hear, hear!

The Chairman: Ms. Wasylycia-Leis.

Ms. Judy Wasylycia-Leis: On the agenda, we had some discussion earlier about some items we thought we could deal with properly after the completion of this bill, one being the minister to the committee, and the other suggestion I made about the Auditor General as quickly as possible. Could we not, as we've got some recommendations we've agreed to, move quickly next Tuesday and Thursday and start to address some of those topics?

The Chairman: You will recall that I said we would start the researchers looking into the issue of the Auditor General and the minister. Of course we've made reference through the clerk to the minister's office about attending. However, I did say it would come back to a steering committee, and that's what will happen next Tuesday. And from the steering committee we'll have a discussion. We won't take the valuable time of the committee now to do that. Rather, we'll meet on Tuesday and proceed accordingly.

Are there any other issues to come before this committee? No? Very good.

Thank you very much to everyone. This meeting is adjourned.