Health Committee on Sept. 22nd, 2016

[The Chair, Liberal, Bill Casey]

I call this meeting to order.

There's one little thing before we get started and hear from the witnesses.

It has been suggested that I'm a little slack at timing the questions and the answers, that I let people go a little long. I'm going to tighten that up a little bit, so for the seven-minute questions I'm going to ask you to limit it to seven minutes questions and answers, and then five minutes. We won't cut anybody right off, but we ask your co-operation to keep it a little tighter. I tend to let people go on, on both sides, because if we have a good line of questioning going, we all want to hear the questions and we all want to hear the answers.

Yes, Mr. Davies.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Chairman, I served notice of motion with 48 hours, as per our Standing Orders, and I would like to move my motion:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee undertake an emergency study of the opioid crisis in Canada.

If I may speak extremely briefly, we know there is a crisis. All committee members are well aware of that. I know we're in the middle of a study on pharmacare. I would say that we would need four meetings for this. I would not be calling for a report but rather, perhaps, a series of recommendations to the minister.

Perhaps after we finish hearing the witnesses today we could take 10 minutes at the end of the meeting to discuss how the committee would like to schedule these. I think it's an emergency and while I don't think we have to do it immediately, as in the next meeting, I think we should get at this as quickly as we can while respecting the pharmacare study we're undertaking.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bill Casey]

I simply want to check that the motion is in order, and the time.

The motion is in order.

It's somewhat like Mr. Webber's.

Mr. Webber.

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

I welcome the intent of this motion, of course, for the NDP, but in fact, I raised a similar motion asking for unanimous consent to have this motion passed because of the urgency of the issue. I would simply like to know what the process is for putting a motion in to the clerk. It has to be translated, does it not? Also, does the individual have to have the floor in order to table a motion?

[The Chair, Liberal, Bill Casey]

We have it in English and French. Is that what you mean?

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

Yes. I'm referring to the timing here, because when I presented my motion I had the floor and was talking about my intent to want to get this motion on the table. Of course, I had the floor and I presented you with my motion. I want to know where we are with respect to who brought the motion in.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bill Casey]

I understand.

I'm advised that it is in order. Both came in by email, his first, and both within the 48 hours. Certainly, the chair acknowledges that it's almost the same motion as yours and I think you brought the issue up.

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

I was just questioning it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bill Casey]

I think the issue will be addressed within the time designated for committee votes.

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

I hope it does get addressed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bill Casey]

Is there any other debate on the motion?

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

I would like to make some amendments to that motion, Mr. Chair. I think it is a rather weak motion. It doesn't have a study with purpose.

I would like to get a copy of that motion, if you don't mind, from the honourable member of the NDP, Don. Thank you.

I see his motion here. I feel that it just doesn't have an action plan. My motion does. I can read out my motion. I'll read out the honourable member Don Davies's motion first.

It says here:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee undertake an emergency study of the opioid crisis in Canada.

The motion that I had tabled, or tried to table, with unanimous consent on Monday reads, “That pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee undertake an immediate study of the fentanyl and opioid crisis in Canada, in light of the alarming and growing number of deaths caused by these substances, to determine what action can be taken by the federal government.”

I would like to make an amendment to Mr. Davies's motion to make it more specific, give it a study with a purpose and with an action plan.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bill Casey]

Do you have the wording?

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

I have the wording here, and translated, yes. That was the one I had submitted to you on the day that I had the floor, on Monday, when I tried to get unanimous support for this motion.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bill Casey]

Is this actually your original motion?

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

Yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bill Casey]

You're proposing you would replace—

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

To insert....

[The Chair, Liberal, Bill Casey]

—Mr. Davies's with yours, or to insert what words?

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

Well, no. Yes, to insert....

[The Clerk of the Committee, Mr. David Gagnon]

He would replace “emergency” with “immediate study of the fentanyl...”—

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

That's right, and then the action plan at the end.

[The Clerk]

—“in light of the alarming and growing number of deaths caused by these substances to determine what action can be taken by the federal government.”

[The Chair, Liberal, Bill Casey]

You know exactly what we're talking about here. The members have to know exactly what you want to say.

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

Okay, all right.