Evidence of meeting #1 for Health in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was clerk.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:40 p.m.
The Clerk of the Committee Mr. David Gagnon
Honourable members of the committee, I see a quorum.
I must inform members that the clerk of the committee can only receive motions for the election of the chair. The clerk cannot receive other types of motions, cannot entertain points of order, nor participate in debate.
We can now proceed to the election of the chair. Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the chair must be a member of the government party. I am ready to receive motions for the chair.
Monsieur Ayoub.
3:40 p.m.
The Clerk
It has been moved by Mr. Ayoub that Mr. Casey be elected as chair of the committee.
Are there any further motions?
(Motion agreed to)
I declare the motion carried and Mr. Casey duly elected chair of the committee.
3:40 p.m.
Some hon. members
Hear, hear!
3:40 p.m.
The Clerk
I invite Mr. Casey to take the chair.
3:40 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bill Casey
Thank you very much. That's the easiest election I've had, and I've had several.
The next act for the committee would be to elect vice-chairs.
If the committee is in agreement, I invite the clerk to proceed with the election of vice-chairs. Is the committee in agreement?
3:40 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
3:40 p.m.
The Clerk
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the first vice-chair must be a member of the official opposition. I am now prepared to receive motions for the first vice-chair.
Mr. Carrie.
3:40 p.m.
The Clerk
It has been moved by Mr. Carrie that Mr. Webber be elected as first vice-chair of the committee.
Are there any further motions?
(Motion agreed to)
I declare the motion carried and Mr. Webber duly elected first vice-chair of the committee.
3:40 p.m.
Some hon. members
Hear, hear!
3:40 p.m.
The Clerk
Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the second vice-chair must be a member of an opposition party other than the official opposition. I am now prepared to receive motions for the second vice-chair.
Ms. Leitch.
3:40 p.m.
Conservative
3:40 p.m.
Voices
Oh, oh!
3:40 p.m.
The Clerk
It has been moved by Ms. Leitch that Mr. Davies be elected second vice-chair of the committee.
(Motion agreed to)
I declare the motion carried and Mr. Davies duly elected as second vice-chair of the committee.
3:40 p.m.
Some hon. members
Hear, hear!
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bill Casey
Before we start, I want to say how pleased I am to be on this committee. I'm not a medical practitioner, as some of you are, but medical practitioners have been my benefactors, probably more than I would have liked, and I am very grateful for the services I've been provided and the health care I've been given.
I'm a survivor of two different cancers, and I had two different heart attacks, and I'm still here thanks to people like you around the table. I recognize that I'm not a practitioner, but I've been involved on the other side of the fence.
I also want to say that it's nice to be at this table with some of my former colleagues. Mr. Carrie and I were talking the other day about Chuck Cadman, a former colleague of ours who died of malignant melanoma while a member. Also, when I was elected as an independent, my seatmate was Don Davies, so we got to know each other. Dr. Kellie Leitch may not remember this, but 19 years ago she met with me in the basement of a restaurant in Wentworth and convinced me to run for office.
So I feel quite at home here, and I look forward to an excellent committee, a committee that helps people, because the first thing I learned when I was elected as a member of Parliament was how many people need help. Many of them are invisible. You don't see them in regular walks of life. The number of people who need help really struck me.
I am very optimistic about this committee. I'm looking forward to it. We have so many subjects that we can talk about, but first of all, we have to do some routine proceedings. If the committee would like to proceed with routine proceedings, we can establish some of the things that we need to do. Does the committee agree?
3:45 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bill Casey
All right. One thing is about the services of analysts as our work unfolds, as stated:
That the Committee retain, as needed and at the discretion of the Chair, the services of one or more analysts from the Library of Parliament to assist it in its work.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bill Casey
All right. So moved by Mr. Ayoub.
(Motion agreed to)
Another one that's really important is the subcommittee on agenda and procedure. There is a format for that, I understand:
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be established and composed of five (5) members including the Chair, the two (2) Vice-Chairs, and two (2) members of the governing party; that quorum for the Subcommittee consists of at least three (3) members, at least one (1) of whom is a member of the Official Opposition; and that each member of the Subcommittee be permitted to have one (1) staff member present at any meetings of the Subcommittee.
This is going to be a very important subcommittee, because it's going to determine what we talk about and what we analyze. We are the masters of our own agenda, but we also have to analyze legislation. As issues come up.... Just in the last few days the Zika virus has come up as something we might want to talk about. But we control our agenda. Ideas should go to the steering committee, and then the steering committee will decide what we're going to talk about and the witnesses we'll hear.
Do I have a motion to establish the subcommittee on agenda and procedure?
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON
I have a question, Mr. Chair. My understanding is that you do not want the parliamentary secretary on the committee.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
