Health Committee on Nov. 20th, 2007

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

We'll come to order now.

I see all our members are here. Welcome; I'm glad we can actually start our committee business.

You will notice that you have in front of you the schedule of meetings, the agenda, and a motion by Mr. Fletcher. We're going to be dealing with these issues in short order.

First of all, I want to talk about the report on prescription drugs. This is a confidentiality issue. Prior to our going into this particular report, I need the will of the committee. Because the report is confidential until it's presented in the House, all discussions on the content of the report must be done in camera, so members may wish to discuss other items on the agenda in public before moving in camera to discuss this report.

What is the will of the committee? Would you like to discuss this report at the beginning or at the end of this particular committee meeting? It will have to be in camera. Could I have some discussion?

Go ahead, Mr. Thibault.

[Robert Thibault, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

Personally I'm in agreement with the motion. Is the discussion going be approval of the motion or discussing the report itself? What exactly is your intention?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

I'm just bringing the report forward. There are new members on the committee, and the report now has to go to the House. I'm just saying that if there is going to be any discussion at all with new members, it will have to be in camera.

[Robert Thibault, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

Then I would suggest that we do it at the end of the meeting, if it's okay

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Go ahead, Mr. Fletcher.

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

My motion will come at the end, then; is that what we just decided?

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Is there discussion?

[Robert Thibault, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

It's on the motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

The other part of it is we could adopt the report immediately. The report has already been studied in depth by members in the previous session, and it was adopted by the committee in the previous session for tabling in the fall. Unfortunately we had prorogation, so it couldn't be tabled. Reopening discussions of the report would further delay tabling in the House, so if it's the will of the committee just to table it, we could actually....

Go ahead, Mr. Fletcher.

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

I have a motion here, Madam Chair, that we give everyone an opportunity to review it and add comments if they wish. The intention was to deal with the new members on the committee, so that they would have an opportunity. I thought it was very reasonable, and if we pass the motion, the new members of the committee would have a week, and then we don't have to talk about it any more.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

We can easily deal with that right now by using the motion. I wanted to cover all bases so that nothing unexpected would come up this morning. We could deal with this motion right now. Is it the will of the committee to do that?

Mr. Temelkovski has a comment.

[Lui Temelkovski, Liberal, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

Being new on the committee, I would like to hear more about the report or have the opportunity--

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Order, please.

[Lui Temelkovski, Liberal, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

--to read it, at least.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

That's what the motion would provide for you.

Go ahead, Madame Gagnon.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

I know that will happen, but it would also include minority reports that would follow. I know we had written a dissenting report, or a supplementary report, that would be added to the report. That is included in the request.

That's just to make sure it includes the--

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

As you know, those dissenting opinions at the time we received the report will be considered then.

Is it the will of the committee to deal with this motion at this point?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Mr. Fletcher, would you read the motion into the record?

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

The motion is as follows:

That members of the Committee be given a period of one week to review the report entitled Prescription Drugs Part 1 - Common Drug Review, previously adopted by the Committee in the First Session, 39th Parliament on June 13, 2007; and that the matter of the adoption of the report in the current session, and its presentation in the House, be taken up at the next scheduled Committee meeting following the one week review period.

I've tabled this motion for discussion before the health committee in regard to the report of the study of the CDR, and I want to explain why.

First, let me assure you that the only reason I've tabled the motion is because basically half the health committee is new. Second, I feel that it's fair for all of us, including my opposition colleagues, to have one week to review the report in its entirety so the new health committee can table it. Third, I'm not indicating one way or the other if I want any changes made; I only want the opportunity to review the report and its recommendations. I want you guys to have the opportunity to review the report and its recommendations before tabling, especially as it's been a number of months since we last looked at the CDR draft.

I recognize the hard work that members have put into the report, and feel that our new members should have the opportunity to review it before commenting and putting their names to it.

Previous members of the health committee, including our chair, Mr. Merrifield, Rahim Jaffer, and the opposition members who are no longer with us, put a lot of work into this, and that should be recognized.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Is there any further discussion on this?

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

The discussion will take place on November 27.

Before the report is handed out, we're going to put your names on it. I have to warn you that this report is very confidential. As you know, we're not going in camera now because we've adopted the motion, but we'll put your names on the report prior to handing it out to you. The discussion on November 27 will be on the CDR report, and we'll make sure you can bring all your comments back then.

I can't tell you how important it is to keep this report confidential.

Are all names on the report, Madam Chair...or Madam Clerk, rather? They are.

Sorry about that; I'm the chair, aren't I?

The clerk does so much work around here, she could sit in here and you'd never know.

Thank you, Mr. Fletcher. The motion is adopted.

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

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

The clerk will hand out the report.

The government response to the childhood obesity report is next on our agenda. It was tabled in the House on August 22 and distributed to members on September 6.

Does the committee wish to meet with the departmental officials on this issue? Is there anything more we need to do?

Madam Bennett.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

I think it would be routine for us to meet with the officials, but in view of the gravity of childhood obesity and the weakness of the government response, this committee is very clear that if we have to table it again to get a stronger response from the government, we will

So let's have the officials in to see what they have to say for themselves. Then I think we're prepared to get firm commitments--much stronger than what we see in the response.