Further comment?
Mr. Fletcher.
Evidence of meeting #2 for Health in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was report.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #2 for Health in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was report.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:10 a.m.
Conservative
Steven Fletcher Conservative Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia, MB
We put a lot of effort into the obesity report, and the government has responded. I don't think the government would have any problem explaining the response.
I would ask the member, would it be your intention that we continue on with the report or add more suggestions? What would be the intention?
9:10 a.m.
Liberal
Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON
I think there was a consideration, or a small discussion, maybe informal, that because Parliament holds government to account, if the response from government isn't as strong as the committee would like, it is reasonable to perhaps table it again and say, “This response isn't satisfactory, and we'd like another response that had firmer commitments in it.”
It doesn't take a lot of witnesses for this committee to decide whether they think the response of the government is satisfactory on an issue that's this important. I think it's worth bringing in the officials to see what they have to say, but we may decide as a committee that we would like a stronger response from the government with more firm commitments.
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joy Smith
Any further discussion?
There seems to be a myriad of different opinions--
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joy Smith
--a couple of different opinions--so we're going to take this to a vote.
Who would like to have departmental officials--
9:15 a.m.
Liberal
Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON
I think there might be a consensus, actually. The parliamentary secretary and I--
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
9:15 a.m.
Liberal
Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON
I will challenge the chair. There was not a discussion on this.
9:15 a.m.
Liberal
Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON
We don't do things by vote at this committee, Madam Chair; if we can have a consensus, we have a consensus.
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joy Smith
Madam Bennett, all you have to do is make that suggestion for a consensus. We're very happy to do a consensus. We have no problem with this at all. But what we have to do is decide whether or not we're going to bring the departmental officials in.
Having said that, around here can we have a consensus? Who would like to bring in the department officials?
9:15 a.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joy Smith
Thank you.
Now we'll go on to the next one, a visit by Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization. Members were informed of her visit, on November 2, at the request of Mr. Fletcher. She'll be in Ottawa on December 13. She's willing to make a brief presentation to the committee on global health issues.
Does the committee wish to meet with her, possibly for one hour? That is on December 13.
Can we have discussion on that?
Yes, Mr. Thibault.
9:15 a.m.
Liberal
Robert Thibault Liberal West Nova, NS
I would welcome her, and I'm pleased that we're available to have her. I'm just wondering if the parliamentary secretary--or you, Madam Chair--has talked to the foreign affairs committee to see whether or not they want to do a joint session with us on this matter.
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
Steven Fletcher Conservative Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia, MB
The Department of Foreign Affairs is involved. I think they're doing their own thing.
The intent is for her to come and speak to us directly. We could go down that avenue, but it seems a little bit more than needs to be done. If we have her for an hour, let's keep her to ourselves.
9:15 a.m.
Liberal
Robert Thibault Liberal West Nova, NS
I would suggest that perhaps we could invite them to join us. It would be a single meeting of the committee, but we could courteously advise the members of her presence in case they want to be present.
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
9:15 a.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joy Smith
Wonderful.
Mr. Fletcher, could you as parliamentary secretary formally invite her?
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
Steven Fletcher Conservative Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia, MB
I can do that, but if you're going to have a joint meeting, it might be appropriate for you as chair to extend that invitation to the foreign affairs committee.
