The clerk is clarifying--I'll ask her to just clarify.
Evidence of meeting #9 for Health in the 39th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was silicone.
Evidence of meeting #9 for Health in the 39th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was silicone.
Conservative
The Clerk
In the original version you were sent, the English said “the Department of Health”, while the French said “Minister of Health”, so I've changed it now in the English also, so where Mr. Batters said “Department of Health” it's “Minister of Health” instead.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
We'll let Ms. Demers close the debate because she sees that as an unfriendly amendment.
Mr. Fletcher.
Conservative
Steven Fletcher Conservative Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia, MB
Ms. Demers, I ask if you could reconsider it, because I think the wording of my colleague is something we could support; then we get the whole committee onside. Wouldn't that be better, and meet your goal?
Bloc
Bloc
Nicole Demers Bloc Laval, QC
I want the preamble to remain. It's important to the decision-making process. It outlines our reasons for moving this motion. If we delete the preamble...It's extremely important that it be a matter of public record, just like the decision. If something happens later, then we'll know that we, the members of the Standing Committee on Health, assumed our responsibilities and made an enlightened decision by choosing to support this amendment.
Conservative
Steven Fletcher Conservative Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia, MB
You could read it into the public record, and we'd just vote on the motion.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
Mr. Fletcher, just hang on. We're not going to allow the debate between the two of you.
You're seeing it as an unfriendly amendment. The amendment, just to clarify it, was to strike the preamble--that's what I heard--and to add the little clause at the end, right?
Liberal
Brenda Chamberlain Liberal Guelph, ON
Would he agree to leave the preamble and just do the little bit on the end?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
That's up to the mover.
Mr. Batters, are you prepared to leave the preamble, add your amendment, and see that as a friendly amendment?
Liberal
Conservative
Conservative
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
I think one of the concerns we have is that the motion actually makes conjectures that may be based on interpretation, but it's very difficult when we've got statements like the one that says the company was hiding data on ruptures. It potentially puts this committee in what I think could be a very awkward position with respect to actually making a declaration on what may or may not have happened. I'm not a medical expert. I'm not prepared to make those kinds of statements.
I support the amendment, but I can't support the--
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
It actually doesn't matter now, because the mover has said that he's not prepared to allow the preamble in.
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
Let's carry on. We have a motion before us.
Madame Demers, do you want to close debate?
Bloc
Nicole Demers Bloc Laval, QC
Mr. Chairman, the motion is drafted this way because we want our reasons for asking the minister to postpone her decision to be clearly stated. We're talking about real documented cases, not about mere rumours or allegations. That's important to bear in mind.
I'm not a doctor or an expert, but it's important to remember that Health Canada receives $41 million per year to approve licensing requests. It's not normal for the department to act as both judge and defendant. Therefore, we must insist that the minister assume her responsibilities, postpone her decision and wait until we have definitive proof that these breast implants are not a health hazard.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
Thank you, Madame Demers.
We're going to ask for a vote on the amendment at this time. The amendment is to eliminate the preamble and to add, after the word “implants”, “until it has received enough scientific information to make an informed decision on the safety of silicone gel breast implants.”
Liberal
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
That doesn't matter--therefore, she doesn't see it as a friendly amendment--but it is an amendment, and it was tabled.
We're voting on Mr. Batters' amendment. I'm going to read it one more time.
The amendment was to eliminate the preamble and, after the word “implants” at the end, to add the words “until it has received enough scientific information to make an informed decision on the safety of silicone gel breast implants.”
That's the amendment.
(Amendment negatived)
Conservative
