Status of Women Committee on Nov. 26th, 2009

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

It's my understanding, and I'm getting my advice here from the clerk, that it is up to the government to decide if it wishes to withdraw dealing with estimates at committee and they want to do it in a committee of the whole of the House. The government has not so decided.

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

If the government determined that the supplementary estimates had to continue being studied in the committee, the minister would have to come and validate the budget. Is that correct?

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you.

Ms. Boucher.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

I'm not opposed to the principle, but I think the notice period is short. Everyone knows that the minister has a full schedule. I'm only the Parliamentary Secretary for the Status of Women, and my schedule is already quite full. I imagine it's even worse for ministers. Don't forget either that this week is the Week against Violence Against Women . The minister is meeting a large number of women's groups on the occasion.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

All right. If someone has something new to add other than that the time is too short, I will entertain their intervention. But if it is the same thing being repeated over and over, I think we should call for the motion.

Mr. Van Kesteren, do you have something new to add?

[Dave Van Kesteren, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON]

It's not something new, but possibly just a compromise.

It's apparent that we have no problem. We agree that the minister should appear. We don't just want to embarrass her and present her with a motion that would imply she's not responding to our request. If we could have a preamble, something to the effect of “Notwithstanding the fact that there are two weeks left”—or a week left—“we duly request that the minister still make it possible to meet with this committee.”

I think something along those lines....

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

You would have to ask Ms. Neville if she would entertain this. This is a friendly amendment, and if she doesn't, well then...

[Dave Van Kesteren, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON]

Then we can't support--

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Madame Demers, do you have something new?

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

Madam Chair, it is difficult to provide this committee with anything new. However, I need more information on the supplementary estimates. I would like to know whether this supplementary amount granted through the Department of Canadian Heritage is intended for Status of Women Canada.

If the minister is not available, I wonder to what extent the people from Status of Women Canada could explain to us the supplementary estimates, which nevertheless total $798,000, nearly $1 million. That's a lot of money.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Madame Demers has suggested that the department should come if the minister cannot.

Ms. Neville.

[Anita Neville, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

I don't mean to be stubborn, but I think it's incumbent upon the executive branch of government--the elected representatives--to come before the committee to defend their estimates. It's not a huge department. It's not preparing for the Department of Health or the immigration department or Foreign Affairs.

It's a relatively small agency of another department. I don't think it's an onerous responsibility.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

All right. Unless it's something new...

Ms. Hoeppner, do you have something absolutely new?

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Thank you.

I think all sides are trying to find a compromise. We cannot make up for the fact that this motion was not presented 10 days ago. We're trying to find a way to solve this, so I would ask Ms. Neville to keep that in mind. Ms. Demers had a good suggestion for a second choice. I think it would be fine to make that second choice clear, but we're trying to find a compromise here.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

For information, I would like to let the committee know it would be incumbent on the minister, since she cannot come, to send her officials. Ms. Neville has made it very clear that she wishes to ask the minister to come. I don't know if the minister can come. Everyone here is telling me that the minister can come. How do you know the minister cannot come until the motion is given to you?

So the request should go to the minister, and she can decide whether her department will come to present.

We have Ms. Zarac.

[Lise Zarac, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Considering that the minister mentioned in one of her previous appearances that she would be available to meet with the committee and that reviewing the estimates is an important job that has to be done in committee, I suggest that we show some flexibility. If the minister can't meet with us, we could hold a special committee meeting.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Is that in the order of a friendly amendment for Ms. Neville to add?

If the minister cannot come to the usual meeting of the committee, will we have a specific meeting to meet the minister, Ms. Neville?

[Anita Neville, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

I would be prepared to accept that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

I'm not suggesting it, Madam; I'm just interpreting what Ms. Zarac is saying.

[Anita Neville, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

I am prepared to agree to a meeting at her convenience.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Shall we add what you're suggesting, Ms. Zarac? Do you want to put that in some sort of formal motion for us?

You could say that the Standing Committee on the Status of Women requests that the Minister of State appear before the committee on the subject, and the committee would be prepared to accommodate her availability.

We can talk about that, given that it's coming up to Christmas. There may be the odd glass of wine available, Madam Clerk.

So what we have is a friendly amendment.

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

Just a moment, please. You mentioned a glass of wine. The Chair had a snack with scotch. Could we women have one with dry martinis?

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

That will be up to the committee to decide.

I'm going to read the amended friendly motion:

That the Committee request that the Minister of State (Status of Women Canada) appear before the Committee before December 7, 2009 on the subject of the Supplementary Estimates (B) 2009-2010 and that the Committee would be prepared to accommodate her availability.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Ms. Clerk, I want it noted in the minutes that that was unanimous. I really think it's a good thing when we can have a unanimous decision on something.

Now I understand there is another motion, Ms. Neville.

[Anita Neville, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

I submitted another motion. I do not have 48 hours' notice for it. If it were to be dealt with today, I understand it would require unanimous consent.