Human Resources Committee on Feb. 7th, 2022

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you, Mr. Collins.

Next is Madame Chabot, followed by Madam Zarrillo and then Mr. Coteau.

Madame Chabot, you have the floor on the motion.

[Louise Chabot, Bloc, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

It's about nutritious meals, the circumstances of children in schools, and food banks. We could take stock of everything being done in each of our provinces to deal with this undeniable problem. We could cite many different examples. We could agree that this question is indisputably a priority. In any event, nutrition is a key factor in healthcare. That's something I know about.

As for the wording of the motion, I think we need to see things concretely. It is one of the Liberal government's objectives. And that is where the motion comes from. Establishing a future national policy on this issue is part of the minister's mandate. I'd be tempted to say that the government should develop its program and ideas before specifying what it wants to do. We could see afterwards whether our committee is in favour of what the government is planning to implement.

It is certainly not our committee's responsibility to conduct a study that falls within the government's sphere, and about which we know very little. I don't know how you would interpret that, but I still don't think we should put the cart before the horse. In any event, it's beyond the scope of my question.

I'm going to ask for an adjournment of this debate. It would be unfortunate if this motion were abandoned. But the government needs to go into further detail about the contents of its program. If establishing a program falls within its mandate, then I would imagine it has an idea of what it wants to do. That's the way things work.

I am therefore requesting an adjournment of debate on this motion.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

We have a motion to adjourn debate on the current motion, so it has to go to an immediate vote.

(Motion agreed to: yeas 10; nays 1)

I have Mr. Van Bynen and then I'll go to Madame Kusie.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

On a point of order, Mr. Chair, you indicated that you would not be accepting hands prior to the meeting starting. I'm wondering if the same ruling would apply prior to the previous business being completed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you, Madam Kusie.

[Tony Van Bynen, Liberal, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Chair, as a matter of clarification, I did take my hand down when the vote started, and I put my hand up shortly after that.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

On a point of order, that's not the same. I could also have raised my hand during the time of the vote. It's when the business is completed. In my opinion, it should be the ruling, precedent and practice going forward that when the business is completed, we raise our hands, or at whatever point I could have put my hand up during the vote prior to Mr. Van Bynen and he could have put it up after me.

The point is it's still during the business that is occurring, so in my opinion, I believe you should decide whether we are permitted to indicate our desire to speak when business is taking place, or if the business must adjourn and then we raise our hands.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you, Madam Kusie.

I will be keeping a close eye on that. Currently, Mr. Van Bynen has the floor.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

On a point of order, what is your ruling, Mr. Chair? Is it that we should indicate our will to speak after the current business has been completed, or that we should...? Going forward, if I were to raise my hand now to speak, as the next order of business, you would recognize that, even though we're going to hear what Mr. Van Bynen has to say?

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

I will conclude the discussion on Mr. Van Bynen. We were concluding a vote there. In the future, when a vote has been concluded, I will look to see who is looking for recognition on the floor and recognize them.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Mr. Chair, this seems to oppose what you just said, which was that you would look to who will speak next during the current business that is occurring. In that case, it would seem to me that I would be indicating that I would like to speak after Mr. Van Bynen's business has concluded, which you just did previously.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

You're correct.

When Mr. Van Bynen has concluded, I have recognized you as being next. Thank you.

Mr. Van Bynen, you have the floor.

[Tony Van Bynen, Liberal, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'd like to propose a motion:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee undertake a study on the difficulties that seniors face in rural Canada; that the committee invite experts and departmental officials to testify; that the committee hold at least five meetings; that the committee report its findings and recommendations to the House; and that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee request that the government table a comprehensive response to the report.

Mr. Chair, I grew up on a 50-acre farm just outside of London, Ontario, and I know that the social network and support programs in rural communities are substantially different from those in urban areas. For that reason, I think this type of study would help level the playing field and provide some consideration to people who need support, particularly the support that's been identified as a result of the COVID pandemic. I think that has aggravated the situation and that it's an opportune time for us to take a look at how that can be righted.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you, Mr. Van Bynen.

Madam Kusie, you have the floor on the motion.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

I like Mr. Van Bynen's thinking. However, initially, upon hearing the motion, it seemed a little too narrow. I was looking to broaden it with an amendment. If we could receive the motion, this would be helpful in enabling me to evaluate what we might see as necessary to broaden it with.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

I will suspend for two minutes while the committee reflects on the motion put forward and Madam Kusie has the time to analyze it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

We're resuming committee business.

We're in discussion on a motion by Mr. Van Bynen. Madam Kusie had the floor to move an amendment.

Go ahead, Madam Kusie.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Again, I really like the thinking of Mr. Van Bynen, but we thought that we could perhaps broaden it with this amendment: Instead of “on the difficulties that seniors face in rural Canada”, we would change it to “on the difficulties rural Canadians face, in particular seniors”. We wanted to change the wording to that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

I will ask the clerk, Madam Kusie.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

It's to broaden it to Canadians, with the emphasis on seniors, but to broaden it to rural Canadians.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

I'll just give the clerk a moment to read it back for the benefit of committee members, so we're all clear.

[The Clerk]

Ms. Kusie, I'll read the whole thing. “That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee undertake a study on the difficulties rural Canadians face, in particular seniors”—

Would that be correct?

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Yes. Thank you.

[The Clerk]

—“that the committee invite experts and departmental officials to testify; that the committee hold at least five meetings and that the committee report its findings and recommendations to the House; and that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee request that the government table a comprehensive response to the report.”

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Before we move on, for the benefit of committee members, Madam Clerk, one more time, could you just read in its entirety the motion as amended by Madam Kusie?