Health Committee on Feb. 5th, 2009

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Mrs. Davidson.

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Actually my question was answered. It was the same thing Mr. Malo just asked.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Okay.

Are we prepared to vote on this motion?

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North, MB]

May I just ask a question for clarification?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Yes, Ms. Wasylycia-Leis.

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North, MB]

You're leaving the words “including motions” in?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

No, we're taking them out.

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North, MB]

You're taking them out?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Yes.

I will read it to you right now. This is the motion that we're discussing right now:

That only the Clerk of the Committee be authorized to distribute to the members of the Committee any documents and that all documents which are to be distributed amongst the Committee members must be in both official languages. The Clerk shall advise all witnesses appearing before the Committee of this requirement.

That is the responsibility of the clerk. That is what we are voting on.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Thank you.

Working meals.

Last year I promised to bake cookies and you never got them, and you're not going to get them this year. Having said that, we had a grandiose conversation about health foods and everything because we're the health committee. So I give Georges my complete congratulations and thank him because you will notice behind me that there is a healthy display, and I would assume that all members, at some point in time, would go up and get some delicious fruit, cheese, healthy biscuits and crackers.

Now I want to go to the working meals. By the way, the clerk and I have discussed this healthy meal thing, so I hope you're not going to bring anything else up because last year it wasted a lot of our time.

That the Clerk of the Committee be authorized to make the necessary arrangements to provide working meals for the Committee and its Subcommittees.

This is at a cost of how much? I'm a math and science person so I need to know the cost.

Last year it was $50 a meal. The healthy foods are a little bit more expensive, but worth it because you're all worth it. Today's bill was $76 approximately.

That's what we're voting on.

Mr. Carrie.

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

There are a couple of motions I'd like to discuss afterwards, in addition to that, if that would be okay.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Does it have to do with working meals?

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

No, this is in addition, if that's all right.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Of course.

So let's deal with the working meals first.

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

I have an amendment as well for the working meals, if that's okay.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Oh, do you have an amendment?

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

I do, of course.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

I knew there'd be somebody with an amendment. I didn't get away with this today.

Go ahead, Mr. Carrie.

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

What I would like to suggest is that the committee hereby authorize the clerk of the committee, in consultation with the chair, to make the necessary arrangements to provide for working meals as may be required, and that the cost of these meals be charged to the committee budget.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

They are automatically, anyway. It comes out of the working committee budget.

I fully trust him. He doesn't really need to consult with me, as long as you like the eats, everybody. We've consulted for half an hour.

Is there any discussion on this?

We'll go to Monsieur Malo.

[Luc Malo, Bloc, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I would just like to know if you feel that a normal meeting of the committee, scheduled between 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., would include a working meal. I feel that a working meal happens at normal meal times, not necessarily between 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

To clarify, you are debating the title of this food so as to change it from working meals to what, Monsieur Malo?

[Luc Malo, Bloc, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

It is current practice to serve food during normal committee meetings. I just want to know if you approved that under the heading “Working Meals“, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Well, we as a committee are deciding it today. If you want a change, now's the time to do it.

Go ahead, Dr. Bennett.

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

I agree with Luc that the working meal is usually a special thing done when we decide to have extra guests, and it really is at the discretion of the chair. I don't think we're talking about the coffee and fruit and whatever.

So the working meals resolution concerns long meetings or something, such as clause-by-clause and that kind of thing, when you have the right to order some sort of wonderful meal.