Health Committee on Jan. 29th, 2020

[The Clerk of the Committee, Mr. Marc-Olivier Girard]

Good afternoon, everyone.

Honourable members of the committee, I see a quorum.

First of all, I must inform you that the clerk of the committee can only receive motions for the election of the chair. The clerk cannot receive any other types of motions, cannot entertain points of order, nor participate in debate.

Your first task, of course, pursuant to the Standing Orders of the House of Commons, is to elect a chair for this committee. Just a quick reminder, the Standing Orders also provide that the chair of this committee must belong to the governing party.

I am now ready to receive motions.

[Marcus Powlowski, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON]

I nominate Ron McKinnon.

[The Clerk]

Are there any further motions?

(Motion agreed to)

[The Clerk]

I declare the motion carried and Ron McKinnon duly elected chair of the committee.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[The Clerk]

I invite Mr. McKinnon to take the chair, next to me here.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Pursuant to the direction of the House, is it the will of the committee to proceed to the election of the vice-chairs?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Clerk]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I will preside over the election of the two vice-chairs, if it is the will of the committee.

I am now prepared to receive motions for the first vice-chair. I would like to remind you that pursuant to the Standing Orders, the first vice-chair must be a member belonging to the official opposition.

Mr. Kitchen, the floor is yours.

[Robert Gordon Kitchen, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

I'd like to nominate Mr. Jeneroux.

[The Clerk]

Do we have any further motions?

(Motion agreed to)

I declare the motion carried and Mr. Jeneroux duly elected first vice-chair of this committee.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[The Clerk]

Still pursuant to the Standing Orders, 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.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Could I nominate myself?

[The Clerk]

Normally, one member nominates another member.

Mr. Webber, you have the floor.

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

I would like to nominate Don Davies, who has sat on this committee for the last four years, in the last Parliament. He has been a strong member of the health committee.

[The Clerk]

Are there any further nominations?

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Perhaps we should follow the normal rules for nominating vice-chairs. Mr. Davies is not a member of the second opposition party. It seems to me that the motion passed in the House as to the composition of the committee was done according to the normal rules. So it seems to me that this vice-chair position goes to the second opposition party.

So it would be a lot simpler to make a motion along those lines. I understand, I think, that there have already been talks between the parties on this matter of the third opposition party. At some stage, the NDP was asking for a third vice-chair. That should be discussed at the procedure committee because talks are already underway with the leaders of the various parties. Otherwise, to deal with this impasse, somebody could decide to follow the normal rules and nominate me.

I am sorry I have to make this comment. I thought that the rules were clear.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

According to the Standing Orders, there is a provision. There is no specification about which secondary opposition party is vice-chair. If it is the will of the committee to entertain motions for the two different parties, we can proceed in that way. Is there a motion to that effect?

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

In this spirit, I understand it goes to a secret ballot for the second vice-chair. As we know, according to Standing Order 106(2), we only have two vice-chairs. That's something we'd have to take up, obviously, at PROC. In accordance with Mr. Thériault's request, I'll nominate him as a vice-chair also.

[The Clerk]

Are there any further motions? No.

Since there is more than one candidate nominated for the position of second vice-chair, it's our duty to proceed by secret ballot, pursuant to the Standing Orders of the House of Commons. Before proceeding, I will very briefly explain the process.

My colleague Alexandre Roger, who is also a procedural clerk at the House of Commons, will distribute a ballot to each member of the committee.

You have to clearly print the first and last name of the candidate on the ballot and deposit it in the box we will pass around the table. We will then count the ballots and I will announce the elected candidate. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes, another ballot will have to be conducted.

Before we distribute the ballots, allow me to repeat the names of the candidates nominated. We have Mr. Davies and also Mr. Thériault.

I wish you a good vote.

Mr Chair, one candidate has won.

I declare that Mr. Thériault received the majority of the votes and is elected second vice-chair of the committee.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Congratulations, Mr. Thériault.

Mr. Fisher.

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Mr. Chair, if it be deemed appropriate, I have a handful of routine motions I would like to move individually.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Go ahead.

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

All right. I'll move them individually, but I would ask the clerk if there is a way to move the package as is, or should I move them all individually?

I have copies for everyone.