Evidence of meeting #35 for Health in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was amendments.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:55 a.m.
Liberal
Hedy Fry Liberal Vancouver Centre, BC
Thank you.
I move that Bill C-300, in clause 2, be amended by adding after line 30 on page 2 the following:
(vii) promoting trauma-informed care and practices.
I will not speak to it, Madam Chair. It is a useless thing for me to do. It's self-evident, anyway.
9:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joy Smith
On Lib-8, there are funds that are required around this particular amendment, so we cannot address that today.
Sorry, Dr. Fry.
9:55 a.m.
Liberal
Hedy Fry Liberal Vancouver Centre, BC
No, that's fine. We heard that from the Library of Parliament.
10 a.m.
Liberal
Hedy Fry Liberal Vancouver Centre, BC
I move that Bill C-300 be amended by adding after line 30 on page 2 the following:
(vii) advancing a comprehensive federal, provincial, and territorial public and private sector response to suicide prevention, as called for in the guidelines published by the United Nations and World Health Organization in 1996 entitled Prevention of Suicide: Guidelines for Formulation and Implementation of National Strategies.
I was in a government of the time that signed on to this particular thing, so I'm just asking the federal government, who signs on at the World Health Organization, and to the provinces, that actually we should then keep our word, having signed on to this guideline.
10 a.m.
NDP
Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC
I certainly support this amendment by Dr. Fry, as I do the other amendments. I just want to actually thank her for all of these amendments, because I think they're eminently sensible and would have improved the bill. The process we're going through here, where they're being shot down, is difficult.
But this one particularly gives a reference to the bill. Again, we heard from the witnesses that the work we do here in Canada needs to be informed by the guidelines, by the United Nations and the World Health Organization. So again, I think this strengthens the bill and makes it clear that Canada is part of an international effort and that we're in line with other states and organizations that are doing it within the framework of the UN and the World Health Organization.
To me, this is a very good amendment. I think it really fills out the bill, and I hope it will be supported.
10 a.m.
Conservative
Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon, BC
Again, going to the broader provisions that are already in the bill, this would fall under subparagraph (iv).
10 a.m.
NDP
10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joy Smith
I'm sorry, it's under another clause. We'll get to that.
(Clauses 2 and 3 agreed to)
Now we'll go to amendment NDP-11.
10 a.m.
Liberal
10 a.m.
Conservative
10 a.m.
Conservative
10 a.m.
NDP
Dany Morin NDP Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC
I move that Bill C-300, in Clause 4, be amended by replacing line 11 on page 3 with the following:
4. Within one year after coming into
From what I gather, the bill would not require the first status report on the situation to be available for four years. I feel, however, especially in politics and for people struggling with suicide or their families, this is really a very long time. I think it would not be unreasonable to ask that a report be made one year after this bill has been passed.
10 a.m.
Conservative
10 a.m.
NDP
10 a.m.
Conservative
10 a.m.
NDP
Dany Morin NDP Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC
I move that Bill C-300, in Clause 4, be amended by replacing line 12 on page 3 with the following:
force of this Act and every year thereafter,
I wish to say how disappointed I am to see that the Standing Committee on Health has become a farce and that the Conservatives do not clearly wish to have a strong bill. I think they just want to have a piece of paper to show their voters so that they can say that the Conservative government is committed to suicide prevention. But this is obviously not the case. They lack respect for both future victims of suicide and their families.
The saddest thing about this is that I am moving amendments and the Conservatives do not even deign to comment on them, to discuss them or say why they are not going to support them. This shows a lack of cooperation and goodwill. This is a sad day for Canadian democracy. The Conservative members of this committee reject all the amendments moved by the opposition parties. But these amendments were submitted to us by witnesses and various important organizations in Canada. It is really a sad day.