Evidence of meeting #70 for Health in the 42nd 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.
Conservative
Marilyn Gladu Conservative Sarnia—Lambton, ON
I would just say that the amendments we're going to make have been submitted to the legislative clerk to have a look at. They thought the timing was very tight, so I'm hoping they'll be back in time, by end of business day September 28, which is what we told them.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
I'm going to continue to make a pitch for John's suggestion that we make it noon on September 29, for a couple of reasons. I don't really understand the need for the rush. We can move amendments from the floor. I don't have to send my amendments in whatsoever. I know it's better to, and I'm going to, but that being the case—given what we're working towards—we're already under the gun right now. There's a lot of stuff and we're working on amendments with legislative counsel.
I'm just wondering.... I don't know if the clerk can advise why we have to have them in on that day.
The Clerk
Of course, you're the ones deciding, but the reason it is September 28 is for us to take all of the amendments and put them in a package so that you can have a look at them the following day. If you do it on the Friday, I'm not sure we're going to be able to send them around on Friday. It might be on Monday, and you'll start clause-by-clause consideration on Monday. That's the reason I think it would be preferable to do it on September 28, but you're the ones deciding.
The Clerk
Let me add also that if you do it on September 28, it is going to be the same thing for the independents. They're going to have the same deadline as you.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Let me ask a question, then. We're working toward that deadline, but that doesn't preclude our moving an amendment even if we don't have it in by that deadline. Am I correct in that?
The Clerk
No, it doesn't, but the reason that committees often adopt deadlines is that you want to give members time to look at the amendments. If you don't provide them in advance, it's really hard. We might have to suspend the meeting so that members have time to look at the amendments. That's the reason committees usually adopt deadlines.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
I understand that, but I'm still not clear on your answer, because I know that I can move an amendment from the floor—not that I'm going to do so, but there's no requirement to give notice.
Again, then, nothing in this motion would preclude our moving a motion at the time of clause-by-clause, even if we haven't put it in by September 28. Am I right about that?
The Clerk
Yes, but since it would be the will of the committee to have amendments submitted beforehand, it would be preferable. It does not take out your right to submit amendments, especially if something new happens during the debate. This sometimes happens, because you cannot know in advance what the debate will be.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
I might just say one more thing. I've already found one part of the bill, maybe two, on which I'm not going to draft an amendment in advance, because I want to ask the legislative counsel who are present what the text means, and I may or may not want to amend it, depending on what they say.
I'll give the example. There's something in the bill that says—I'm going by memory—that Canadians are prohibited from being in possession of more than four plants that are not flowering or budding. Does that mean you can have more plants that are flowering or budding?
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
In that example I'm not preparing an amendment, because I don't even really know what this means yet. There are often things that come up when you're going through the bill clause by clause that mean you may want to move to amend it to clarify.
Am I clear that this is the deadline, but that we're not precluded from moving amendments on the day, if we want?
Liberal
John Oliver Liberal Oakville, ON
Is there any way to get clarification from the officials before that meeting, so that Mr. Davies could have a clarification on his question? Can he approach—
Liberal
John Oliver Liberal Oakville, ON
There's a broader question here. Do we want any resources available to us as we do the clause-by-clause?
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Don't they come automatically? I think the departmental officials come.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bill Casey
All right. Is everybody happy so far?
The one big, important thing is, are we going to have food?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bill Casey
I assume we're going to sit from 9:00 a.m. right through to question period.
Liberal
John Oliver Liberal Oakville, ON
To clarify, part (b) will stay as it's written, and part (c) will stay as it's written.
Conservative