Evidence of meeting #52 for Status of Women in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was families.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
Bruce Stanton Conservative Simcoe North, ON
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I just have question of clarification. You said she could come on May 30.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
Bruce Stanton Conservative Simcoe North, ON
Is that one of our regular Tuesday or Thursday meetings?
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
No, it's a Wednesday. We had to insist because we cannot have her on the 31st.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
Bruce Stanton Conservative Simcoe North, ON
So we're still within the bounds—albeit a day late.
Can it be done, in fact? Is there the ability to have this meeting, vote the estimates, and then get this in the next day?
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
It will be extremely difficult, and that's why it's disheartening that the minister.... She said Tuesdays and Thursdays were not possible, so we gave her Wednesdays—every Wednesday or any Wednesday she wanted.
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
She has chosen the 30th, and I have to take the committee's guidance as to what to do.
4:55 p.m.
Conservative
Bruce Stanton Conservative Simcoe North, ON
The way I'd see it, Madam Chair, there's not a whole lot of choice here. We're within the bounds. Agreed it will be at the eleventh hour, if you will, but it's within the bounds. If all the dates have been covered, we're dealing with a month or four weeks here, and one of those weeks is a break week. In all honesty, you say you need the committee's guidance, but I think we just have to respond in the affirmative and get on with it.
4:55 p.m.
Bloc
Nicole Demers Bloc Laval, QC
Madam Chair, I am tired of continually blaming the previous government, because that is all we ever hear. I am fed up with that type of excuse. We read about the budget cuts in the newspapers. The minister has the time to meet with Conservative members to discuss the sponsorship program that they are considering, she has time to consult with other people, but she has no time to meet with her committee. She is the Minister responsible for the Status of Women. She doesn't have the time to meet with the members of her committee to let them know what is about to happen and to discuss these matters with them. Madam Chair, it makes no sense, I just don't get it. I can't believe that this woman can't find one hour, on a Wednesday, before May 30th, to come and meet with us. I really can't believe that, Madam Chair. Although we usually meet on Tuesday and Thursday, we are ready to meet on Wednesday to accommodate her, and she can't find the time before May 30th? Someone has to speak on our behalf. Someone should check with the people who do the scheduling in her office. This type of thing is not normal.
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
4:55 p.m.
Conservative
Patricia Davidson Conservative Sarnia—Lambton, ON
Yes. Madam Chair, I'm not sure what Madame Demers was talking about in referring to meeting with the Conservative members. She's never met with me.
I'm just concerned about the Wednesday. Am I the only who has other committee meetings on Wednesday? Do we have to miss our other committee meetings? It's not fair to bring a substitute in here, if we're dealing with the main estimates. It should be this committee that's dealing with the issue.
Are the Tuesday and Thursday right out of the picture?
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Yes. She can't make it. Totally out of the picture for her.
In terms of main estimates, everybody has had the main estimates for some time now, so if you have to find a replacement, please ask the replacement to be knowledgeable about the main estimates.
Members of the committee, you know that as committee members we do not have the power to summon the minister. We can go to the House and put a notice of motion saying we asked the minister to come, and she didn't come--and we can put political pressure. But we have this date.
What I would suggest we say to the minister is yes, we would like her to come, because the officials really cannot answer all the questions. We might have questions for the minister that only the minister can answer. So if you want, we will try to do it two-pronged. We could ask the officials to come, and the questions they cannot answer we get the minister to answer. We keep the minister for May 30.
I think there was a suggestion that if we're going through the estimates and we find very pressing things that need a response from her, perhaps we can write and see if she can get the response from her ministry ASAP. Is that agreeable?
I know people are a little upset, but what choice do we have? We have no choice.
So I will proceed with asking the clerk if she can get the officials to come, and we will ask the minister to appear before us on May 30, which is a Wednesday. So if you have a replacement, please apprise them of it.
Thank you.
The meeting is adjourned.