Health Committee on March 8th, 2012
Evidence of meeting #33 for Health in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was suicide.
A recording is available from Parliament.
On the agenda
MPs speaking
Also speaking
- Dammy Damstrom-Albach President, Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention
- Jennifer Fodden Executive Director, Lesbian Gay Bi Trans Youth Line
- Denise Batters As an Individual
- Brian Mishara Director, Centre for Research and Intervention on Suicide and Euthanasia, Université du Québec à Montréal, As an Individual
- Marnin Heisel Associate Professor and Research Scientist, Department of Psychiatry and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Western Ontario
- Clerk of the Committee Mrs. Mariane Beaudin
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Joy Smith
I want to make sure, if you watch the time...this is a very important motion and I'd like to get it through today. That's all I'm saying.
If you run out of time, you're going to be disappointed. I just want to make you and all of the members aware of that.
10:40 a.m.
NDP
Dany Morin Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC
A point of order, Madam Chair.
I feel that you showed a lack of respect towards my colleague Ms. Quach when you rushed her and implied that she was making a 15-minute speech. She has the right to express herself in this committee and to explore her thoughts in depth.
Perhaps the clerk could tell us how long Ms. Quach spoke for. I feel that it was nowhere near the 15 minutes mentioned.
10:40 a.m.
Conservative
10:40 a.m.
NDP
10:40 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Joy Smith
No, just for one moment. I'm trying to explain to you.
That's not a point of order, number one. Number two, I'd like to get this motion done. I've left this committee business open. This is an extremely important motion. If I don't get it done in the next five minutes, we will go on to the next meeting. So it depends on how much value you put on this motion. I'm trying to get it through. I'm trying to kindly remind you that none of us can do a 15-minute speech because we won't get the motion through. That's the only thing I'm saying.
If you want to talk it out and not pass it today, that's your prerogative.
10:40 a.m.
NDP
Dany Morin Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC
Once again, Madam Chair, I feel that our right to speak and to explore our thoughts in depth is not being treated with respect when our Conservative colleagues—
10:40 a.m.
Conservative
March 8th, 2012 / 10:40 a.m.
Conservative
Colin Carrie Oshawa, ON
Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
I do want to thank my colleague for bringing up the issue of supply. I do agree that it's an extremely important thing that we bring forward. My understanding is that there was some conversation and the NDP was okay with the scope of what we did propose. There may be a slight difference, I believe. The NDP would like to have the minister here. One of the major differences, though, that I would point out is that the minister is coming here—I think at the next meeting. My colleague is open to ask the minister questions at the next meeting.
This particular issue with the supply is a little bit different from the safety issue. I think that is the issue we can deal with promptly. So I would ask the clerk to read out again what I put forward to see if that is acceptable to the NDP.
10:40 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Joy Smith
I think we have to deal with Dr. Morin's first. If you have more discussion, we have two choices. You can continue to discuss or we can vote and go on to the next one. The first motion that came through...Ms. Quach. It's a very, very good motion; we all agree to that. We just want to make some decisions here, because this is the process. We only have four minutes.
Do you want to go to the vote now on this motion, or do you want more discussion?
Dr. Morin.
10:40 a.m.
NDP
Dany Morin Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC
Thank you for giving me the floor again, Madam Chair.
I feel that we all, on both sides of the table, are in favour of my colleague Ms. Quach's motion and we want to get it through. But we have to have the time to discuss it. As you have mentioned several times, the motion is very important. That is why I do not want to rush things.
I am very pleased that my Conservative colleagues are finally agreeing to take action on drug safety and the drug shortage.
As for the NDP, Ms. Quach raised the matter in the House for the first time on November 22, 2011. She was speaking to the Minister of Health on that occasion. I can even quote her words, which shows the extent to which drug safety is important for the NDP. She asked this question: “When will the Minister of Health require pharmaceutical companies to disclose this vital information to protect children who depend on these drugs?”
10:40 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Joy Smith
Thank you.
Can we vote on this motion now? We're going to run out of time. We won't be able to get Ms. Quach's motion through.
10:40 a.m.
NDP
10:40 a.m.
Conservative
10:40 a.m.
NDP
10:40 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Joy Smith
Okay, then, Mr. Morin, you don't want to get the motion through. You want to keep talking.