Veterans Affairs Committee on Oct. 14th, 2020

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Agreed.

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

The motion says “without modification or amendment.” I can't support that, because I would want to modify the study on backlog. I'm just being clear. I will not support the motion because of that language.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bryan May]

I understand that. Any motion we move here just gives direction to the clerk to get started. We would follow that up with the subcommittee meeting. If those adjustments are needed, we can do that then and there. I think we agree, MP Blaney, that this is a good course to move on.

Is there any other discussion?

Go ahead, MP Brassard.

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

Mr. Chair, I'm not sure the “raise hand” function is working properly. I've raised it about three or four times.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bryan May]

I'm sorry. It didn't come up. For whatever reason, you're not on my screen.

There we go. I can see you just fine there, sir.

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

You'd think I would have learned my lesson with PROC.

Frankly, I share Rachel's concern regarding the “without amendment” aspect of this motion. I believe there are some significant issues that we still need to deal with.

We have, as Rachel said, the parliamentary budget office report on the backlog. There's a lot of new information in there. I'm not in disagreement with moving on that report and the backlog situation, but the process is that we go to the subcommittee. That, in effect, sets course and direction for this committee.

My concern is that with respect to the family caregiver question, the efficacy of service dogs and...what was the other one? There were four specific things, and there's a new session. There's more information. We've had the supplementary estimates, for example, that have been tabled in the House of Commons. We haven't dealt with that issue. That doesn't reflect what's in Mr. Casey's motion. There's an order of the House on April 20 for committees to look into this and report back by November 27.

I'm not going to support this motion as is. The Conservatives will not support this motion as is. I think we need to go through the process, have the subcommittee provide direction and then have the clerk work on whatever comes out of that subcommittee at that time, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bryan May]

Thank you.

I see MP Wagantall has the “raise hand” function there.

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Mr. Chair, I don't believe that this can be done as it's being presented today, as those motions were all dissolved. He'd have to bring back the evidence and witness testimony and table a whole new motion, even if it's the same. My understanding is that this blanket motion can't actually take place.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bryan May]

We can definitely ask the clerk for some direction on that. I believe we are able to do that.

Maybe the clerk can clarify if it is out of order, but I don't believe it is out of order.

[The Clerk]

One moment, please. I'm just consulting.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bryan May]

MP Casey, you have your hand up again.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

On that point, Mr. Chair, with respect to the four motions that were adopted, there was only one on which we heard any testimony. That was with respect to the backlog. If there is an issue over the fact we've received testimony, it would only be applicable to the one.

I'm not sure why we wouldn't be able to consider the testimony from that previous meeting as read into the record. I'd certainly defer to the clerk on that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bryan May]

I will also point out, folks, that we don't actually have a schedule for this committee right now. I know there are still negotiations happening in terms of when that's going to be. We can most certainly use this normal time slot for a subcommittee meeting if we don't have that schedule ready to roll.

[The Procedural Clerk, Christine Lafrance]

Mr. Chair, my name is Christine Lafrance. I'm another clerk of the House of Commons.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bryan May]

Hello.

[The Procedural Clerk]

Can I shed some light on this motion?

[The Chair, Liberal, Bryan May]

Yes, please.

[The Procedural Clerk]

It's a whole new session, so what happened before, procedurally speaking, is not in front of the committee right now. If the committee wants to follow up on these studies, I would suggest that every motion be readopted one by one and that the committee undertake a study on what it wants to do.

Also, we have some wording to import into the session with respect to whatever happened during the last session. For example, it would be, “Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee undertake a study on [subject] and that the evidence and documentation received by the committee during the first session of the 43rd Parliament on the subject be taken into consideration by the committee in the current session.”

That would be the appropriate way to continue a study that was started in the previous session. It would be one by one. The motion states “all substantive motions”. I don't know how many motions the committee adopted during the last session, but it means that all of them would be imported.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bryan May]

That's a very good point. Thank you very much for that clarification.

Mr. Casey, would it make sense to withdraw this motion and move this to a discussion at the next available opportunity to convene and have a subcommittee meeting?

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Based on that advice, I think that is the logical next step, Mr. Chair. You can consider my motion withdrawn.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bryan May]

Thank you all for catching that.

Mr. Brassard has his hand up. I see Mr. Desilets as well.

I will go to MP Brassard first.

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

I'm glad the clerk clarified that, because the logical next step in this new session of Parliament is to go to the subcommittee and deal with not just potential motions but the agenda and dates of the meetings.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bryan May]

Go ahead, MP Desilets.

[Luc Desilets, Bloc, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Is this the time to introduce some motions?

If that is the case, perhaps some of them could rally my colleagues and allow old motions to disappear.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bryan May]

Yes. We are in committee business, so it is proper to move motions. If it pertains to our study schedule, I would ask that maybe we move that to the subcommittee so that we're not dividing, but that is up to you, sir.