Health Committee on May 9th, 2006

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

Mr. Chair, what I find very funny, even ironic, is that we're here now debating the urgency of the hepatitis C file, when we know the parliamentary secretary already advocated so strongly on behalf of the victims last year. He fought hard, sometimes in desperation, for those who were infected. So I think that he's able to understand why it is so important for us to meet with the minister and get answers quickly from the foundation managing the funds, from everybody involved in the file so that the victims are at last acknowledged and receive what they are entitled to before they die.

This is exactly what the parliamentary secretary said last year. These people need to get the money quickly; every day, some of them die. Let's remember that. I'm not doubting the government's good faith, but we need to do more and do it more quickly.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

Mr. Fletcher.

[Steven Fletcher, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia, MB]

Everything Ms. Demers has said is pretty accurate.

I'd like to clarify something just for the record. The government's commitment was to compensate the victims. The motion last year did say to compensate them immediately, but that was when the government of the day had ten years to deal with the issue. We've only been in office for not even 100 days, but I would humbly suggest that we are making a lot more progress in those 100 days than the previous government did in ten years. I completely empathize with the victims, and I know the government does. They shouldn't even be in this situation in the first place, but here we are. We're working on it, and we'll solve it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

We've had debate on the motion. Everybody has heard the motion. The amendment on the motion is to--you're right--you've put the amendment forward.

The mover has not seen the amendment as a friendly amendment, or have you? That is, to deal with hepatitis C, and if there's time left over, to deal with other issues. That's the amendment.

Madam Gagnon, I need an answer. Is that a friendly amendment or not?

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Ideally, I would have preferred we vote on my motion and see if it passed.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

It's your call. We'll vote on the amendment if it's not a friendly one. If it is a friendly one we'll vote on it complete. That's the direction I need as a chair.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

If the discussion moves to other topics, the minister may not have time to prepare. In that case, we could put if off until June 8. That's why I wanted to focus solely on this issue. It would be far easier for the minister to come to the committee and deal with one single matter.

I have nothing against adding other subjects, as we may exhaust the issue after the 30 or 45 minutes. However, that would mean waiting for the minister until June 8. So, that's what explains my rush to get him here.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

I understand what you're saying.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Anyway, June 8—

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

You see it as not a friendly amendment.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Hold on, Mr. Chair. If I agree to the amendment, the minister will come before the committee on June 8. Anyway, he'll come on that date, that's what is scheduled. But nobody can stop me talking about the tainted blood issue. That is why we haven't solved anything. Out of kindness, I could have agreed, but I thing that won't solve anything.

We will debate the motion. I'd like the minister to become before this committee next week or the week after we get back. What we ideally would have liked is that the minister, who knows full well this is an issue, would already have put this in his agenda and decided to come and inform the committee.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

If this motion passes, we'll make the request to the minister; it's the minister's prerogative as to when he can clear his schedule to come. We haven't got control of that as a committee, but I see you're not accepting it, so let's vote on the amendment.

The amendment is to add other items to it. Discussion on the amendment? Seeing none...

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

No, I said the exact opposite, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

Oh, you accept it?

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

No. I said that agreeing to the amendment would be tantamount to saying the minister would come before the committee on June 8. The minister would not bring forward his visit.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

I understand what you're saying.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

So, that wouldn't achieve anything. At any rate, he'll come before the committee on June 8. So, let's vote on my motion. Whatever happens, we'll talk about hepatitis C and all the other issues on June 8. This won't make the minister come and meet us any earlier.

I thought I'd suggest we only deal with this issue so that—

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

I understand.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

—it would be less trouble for the minister and a prod to take quick action.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

I believe the committee understands your position.

We're now voting on an amendment to that position put forward by Madam Brown.

(Amendment agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

Now we will vote on the amended motion.

(Motion as amended agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

So that's the direction on hepatitis C. We'll get that invitation to the minister as soon as possible.

Now we'd like to move to the rest of the meeting, which is the long-term agenda of the committee. In doing so, we'll perhaps be getting into some issues that are before the court. We don't have to, but my recommendation to the committee is to move in camera so we can have free flow of debate without compromising any court position. Whether that would happen or not, I don't know, but I think it would be a wise thing for the committee to do.

Do we have consensus that we move in camera?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

That is agreed.

Let's have a break, and then we'll move in camera.

[Proceedings continue in camera]