Veterans Affairs Committee on April 26th, 2007

[Betty Hinton, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

That's what I thought.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

I can't predict the will of the committee, sir. Sometimes it takes a course of its own.

[Bev Shipley, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

It's just a question that I'm putting out. If we're going to have the witnesses, let's keep the parameters around that. If we're going to do the discussion on a bill, let's have the witnesses in, have the discussion and get the bill put forward. That, to me, makes sense.

[Betty Hinton, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

It takes precedence, anyway.

[Bev Shipley, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

We now have another request, and that's fine, but let's not keep plugging things in. We still have our health care discussions. I think that's significant enough. That's a large project.

I don't think we should have days when we're saying we don't have anything. I think it's about the committee sitting down and getting our witnesses lined up to continue on—after PTSD, then health care.

[Betty Hinton, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

You mean finish the job?

[Bev Shipley, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

I would suggest that Tuesday, after we have the witnesses, let's have our discussion on Mr. St. Denis' bill and get that wrapped up. If we need to have a discussion about where we're at on the ombudsman, I don't know that we need the minister. Let's try to find out where the status is. And if the interest is to keep moving on health care, which I think is significant in this committee, I would like to line up the witnesses and keep going.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

We'll have Mr. Valley next, but I believe the clerk now has an answer to Mr. Sweet's question.

[The Clerk]

Yes.

You were asking if we could have a government response. We can table another report asking for a government response to our ombudsman report, and then the 120 days would start when that second report is tabled in the House.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON]

So we're just tabling a duplicate report?

[The Clerk]

No, we're tabling a different report. Say tomorrow we table a report asking that the government respond to the ombudsman report; it's a different report. It's just a report asking for a government response, that's all. The 120 days would start when this report is tabled, say tomorrow.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON]

Okay.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

Okay, fair enough.

Mr. Valley.

[Roger Valley, Liberal, Kenora, ON]

In this place, answers are extremely rare. If you want to get an answer, ask the person at the top.

I think there's no reason, if we're dealing with Mr. St. Denis on Tuesday—We've all heard ministers come before meetings. They rarely come for more than an hour. They have busy schedules. Let's get him in for an hour, have an hour to discuss it, and then finish with Mr. St. Denis' request.

We're not going to get him here and grill him for two hours. That's not going to happen. An hour is lots of time to deal with these issues.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

Okay. Now, to be honest, on this issue I think I've heard one for and—

[Roger Valley, Liberal, Kenora, ON]

Three against?

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

Yes, something like that. I'm trying to weigh how many it was on that side.

I understand where you're coming from, Mr. Valley. There are a few different options on the table.

Mrs. Hinton.

[Betty Hinton, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

I'm looking at the agenda you put in front of us today, and part of it is planning for future business. We've had a couple of discussions already.

We're going to deal with Mr. St. Denis' bill. I think we've agreed on that. We're going to call witnesses. We don't know right now how many responses we're going to get, so we're not sure if it's going to be two meetings or one meeting. We haven't finished the bill of rights, and we haven't got into detail on the health care review, which is very important to our senior veterans.

I'm going to try to say this as politely as possible. The committee dictates its own will, but if we're going to go back and forth and up and down, I don't think we're going to get anywhere. I'd like us, as a committee, to decide. Are we going to hear witnesses for Mr. St. Denis' bill, and then when that's finished, are we going to finish the bill of rights, and after that's finished, are we going to move on to the health care review, or are we going to go back and forth and up and down?

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

We are now at 9:30, and I believe we have a witness on audio.

I'm going to propose this. We have a witness, let's be courteous to our witness, and deal with that. Tuesday we'll be into Mr. St. Denis' bill. Depending on how that goes, if we deal with it within that committee meeting, it allows us to ask the minister, or whoever it is, at the end of Tuesday's meeting, for Thursday. Let's play it by ear in terms of how Tuesday goes.

[Roger Valley, Liberal, Kenora, ON]

I don't agree with Mrs. Hinton. I thought it was clear to us, through Bev's comments, that we were going to deal with it Tuesday, that the witnesses are dealt with Tuesday. We had nothing on the schedule.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

Mr. Valley, I know. You've expressed that three times, and I appreciate that.

[Roger Valley, Liberal, Kenora, ON]

Maybe the fourth time you'll listen.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

I understand. I'm going to ask, please, that we go to our witness.

I'm assuming we have Dr. Victor Marshall on the other end of the line.

[Dr. Victor Marshall, Chair, Gerontological Advisory Council]

Yes, you do. Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

Wonderful.

Thank you very much, sir, for appearing as a witness, at least audio-wise today.

I'm sure you know this is all pursuant to our Standing Order 108(2), a study on the veterans independence program and the health care review.

Just for everybody's edification, you are the chair of the Gerontological Advisory Council.