Health Committee on Nov. 27th, 2018

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Thank you. I'll be brief.

I just want to state once again for the record how important it is to recognize that Canada is doing a very poor job in terms of making sure that Canadians are registered for organ and tissue donation, and that compared to other countries we are really falling behind.

I want to state for the record as well that the New Democrats support a presumed consent system where every Canadian is presumed to be an organ and tissue donor unless they specifically elect not to be. Of course, we have seen the figures from Spain and other European countries that saw a 30% to 40% or 50% increase in their organs and tissues available for donation by moving to a presumed consent system.

That's the gold standard that I would like to see our government working towards. That in no way takes away from Mr. Webber's excellent initiative here. As long as we have an opt-in system, searching for as many portals and entries as possible to put in front of Canadians the opportunity to be an organ donor, I think is commendable. That's why the New Democrats will offer their full support to this.

I'm happy to move to clause-by-clause so that we can do everything we can to expedite this fine initiative, and I hope that it can be made law as soon as possible.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bill Casey]

That concludes our—

Yes, Mr. McKinnon.

[Ron McKinnon, Liberal, Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC]

In our discussion, we have talked about the importance of this data capture appearing on the first page of the T1, but it doesn't specify that anywhere in the bill. Is there a way to ensure that this happens?

[Frank Vermaeten]

I don't think there's a clear legislative way to ensure that this happens. As I indicated, it would be our intent to put it on the front page. I would caution that things can always change. There may be major tax changes and changes in the way the form is designed, for example, and there may be situations like that where it might not be possible.

However, as far as we're concerned, for the foreseeable future it seems fairly clear that we can put that on the front page, and that's what we would do.

[Ron McKinnon, Liberal, Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bill Casey]

Thank you very much.

I want to thank the CRA officials. It seems to me you've really worked hard to accommodate this bill, and we appreciate your co-operation 100%.

I'm going to suspend just for a second while we clear the deck and go to clause-by-clause.

[A voice]

We need the officials here in case there are questions.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bill Casey]

I'm sorry. We need the officials in case there are questions for clause-by-clause. We don't need to suspend, so we'll go right to clause-by-clause.

Does everybody have their bill of many pages?

(On clause 1)

[The Chair, Liberal, Bill Casey]

We're going to clause 1. I'm advised that if CPC-1 is adopted, then CPC-2 is automatically adopted as consequential, so we only really have one amendment.

Somebody has to move the amendment.

Mr. Davies, go ahead.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

I move the amendment.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bill Casey]

Perfect. Is there any debate?

Mr. Webber, go ahead.

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

Was that the amendment on changing the title to add “tissue”, or what was the amendment?

[The Chair, Liberal, Bill Casey]

It's not the title. It's actually effectively amendments 1 and 2. That's all it is.

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

Yes, that was to add the word “tissue” in the title and then down again in the summary. Okay.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bill Casey]

That's what the amendments will do if they pass.

Mr. Aboultaif, go ahead.

[Ziad Aboultaif]

Mr. Chair, I'm not sure about “taining”. Should it be “obtaining an organ and tissue donor registry”? Is this a typo here? It doesn't make sense.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bill Casey]

It's just the exact replacement.

Mr. Ayoub, go ahead.

[Ramez Ayoub, Liberal, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

It's not the same in French as in English. I don't have the exact line.

It's line 13, which reads “des donneurs d'organes et de tissus.” The amendment is more specific in the English version. More terms have been removed and changed in the English version than in the French version.

[Philippe Méla, Committee Researcher]

We need to do so because of the lines.

[Ramez Ayoub, Liberal, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

Okay.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bill Casey]

Is there any other debate?

We're going to vote on amendments CPC-1 and CPC-2.

(Amendments agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

Mr. McKinnon, go ahead.

[Ron McKinnon, Liberal, Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Chair, may I submit another amendment from the floor?

[The Chair, Liberal, Bill Casey]

Yes.

[Ron McKinnon, Liberal, Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC]

I move, in line 15, to drop the word “last” from the English, and in the French to drop the word “dernière”.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bill Casey]

All right.

Mr. Davies, go ahead.