Evidence of meeting #11 for Health in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was point.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:05 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joy Smith
Ladies and Gentlemen, I want to welcome you all to the health committee this morning.
Dr. Plummer, thank you for joining us via video conference. It is very pleasant to see you here this morning.
Dr. Butler-Jones, we are so glad to have you here this morning as well.
Dr. Bennett.
9:05 a.m.
Liberal
Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON
Madam Chair, I think it is a very serious thing for the future of Parliament and the ability of Parliament to hold government to account that the three ministers who were expressly called in a motion by this committee on April 17 have chosen not to come.
9:05 a.m.
Liberal
9:05 a.m.
An hon. member
I didn't hear you.
9:05 a.m.
An hon. member
You never said point of order.
9:05 a.m.
Liberal
9:05 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joy Smith
I will suspend this committee if I am interrupted one more time. I am trying to straighten this out. I did not hear “point of order”.
I recognized Dr. Bennett, and now I am recognizing Dr. Carrie.
9:05 a.m.
Conservative
Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON
Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
On my point of order, I would like to point out that we have had three meetings on this subject. The tone of this committee is disturbing to me, and frankly it is totally out of line.
I have listened and watched my opposition colleagues make allegations and pass on second-hand hearsay that suits their personal political needs more than addressing the facts and the issues we have at hand at this committee.
What the member was bringing up is totally absurd. The Minister of Health and the top doctor and scientist of this country have graciously returned, at your request. They have been open, transparent, and they do not play politics with the health and safety of Canadians. It's a shame that the opposition doesn't share this policy.
9:05 a.m.
An hon. member
What is your point of order?
9:05 a.m.
Conservative
Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON
I am getting to that.
Our Minister of Health has been more than accommodating. In the last year she has appeared before committee six times.
That's not all, Madam Chair. Our top officials have appeared 23 times. During the H1N1, the members opposite were offered countless briefings by our government to keep them apprised of the situation and answer any questions they had. As well, members of this committee were offered the opportunity to tour the National Emergency Operations Centre to gain better understanding of the process. Why was that? It was because our Minister of Health believes that all members of Parliament need to be informed and that the health and safety of Canadians should never be compromised by partisan politics. Briefings have been offered immediately on issues of interest to the members opposite, often at the initiative of the minister--for example, the recent briefing on isotopes by Dr. Sandy McEwan.
9:05 a.m.
Conservative
Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON
Yes, it is. I am going to finish.
She appeared and she offered that briefing because she thought it was an issue of importance to Canadians--
9:05 a.m.
Liberal
Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON
This is not a point of order; it's a prepared statement from the PMO.
9:05 a.m.
Conservative
Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON
--and that you should know about it. Everybody here should know.
And when all is said and done, how many hours have our minister and top officials been here in committee to participate in the briefing of the opposition members? It has been well over 75 hours. Collectively they have spent as much time here as members of the committee have.
Shamefully, they have the nerve to condemn her because she did not have the time--and this is what I`m getting at--with less than one week's notice, to return to this committee to repeat the facts and provide information that she had already done mere weeks ago. This is unacceptable, and I believe our minister deserves an apology. Unfortunately, I don't think that is going to come. The federalist and sovereignist coalition across from me are all reading from the same set of talking points, and they refuse to accept the truth.
9:05 a.m.
Liberal
9:05 a.m.
Conservative
Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON
Madam Chair, you have heard testimony from the senior public health officials--