Mr. Chair, I also have a point of order.
Evidence of meeting #25 for Health in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was vaccines.
A video is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #25 for Health in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was vaccines.
A video is available from Parliament.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Thank you.
Well, the quid pro quo of Ms. Sidhu's comment is that the witnesses be instructed that they should answer the question being asked. That would, I think, help all committee members as well.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon
Thank you for your intervention on the same point of order. Thank you, Mr. Davies. That is noted.
We will undertake the vote now.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon
We have Mr. Thériault on a point of order. Is it the same point of order?
Bloc
Luc Thériault Bloc Montcalm, QC
Yes.
On this issue, Mr. Chair, I would also like to clarify that we have five minutes each time we speak, whereas the government party can take all the time it wants to ask its questions. With the time it has available, it can let the witnesses take more time and more detours when answering questions.
However, when you have two and a half minutes to ask your questions and the witness goes off topic, at some point you have to interrupt them. I think that needs to be understood.
The government party has a lot of time to ask questions, unlike Mr. Davies and me, and witnesses need to understand that dynamic. When you say we have two and a half minutes, that doesn't mean that witnesses can avoid a question by saying something that doesn't directly answer it.
I wanted to make that point of order, because you could also sometimes remind witnesses that a question has been asked. If you're calling us to order to let the witnesses speak, you should also remind the witnesses that they have to answer the questions.
Having said that, I am in a very good mood.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon
Thank you, Mr. Thériault.
I would remind Mr. Thériault and all members that the time allocated for speaking is a matter that was decided among all the whips and determined in our routine motions when we started this committee at the beginning of the session.
It is certainly the prerogative of the chair to recognize people to speak or not. During questioning, we typically allow the members to control the flow during their own questioning, but if that is abused, the chair has to take action.
I would advise all witnesses to answer the questions as best they can, but I'd also remind members not to put words in the mouths of witnesses or to try to impose specific sets of answers on them. The answers are the prerogative of the witnesses.
I would also remind members that when a minister appears, she appears with officials whose job is to support her. It is her prerogative to pass the question to them when she feels it is more appropriate.
Is there any further intervention on this point of order?
Seeing none, let us once again go forward and conduct the vote.
CANADIAN FOOD INSPECTION AGENCY
Vote 1c—Operating expenditures, grants and contributions..........$10,979,485
Vote 5c—Capital expenditures..........$225,000
(Votes 1c and 5c agreed to on division)
CANADIAN INSTITUTES OF HEALTH RESEARCH
Vote 5c—Grants..........$126,700,000
(Vote 5c agreed to on division)
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Vote 1c—Operating expenditures..........$43,968,111
Vote 10c—Grants and contributions..........$47,492,269
(Votes 1c and 10c agreed to on division)
PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY OF CANADA
Vote 1c—Operating expenditures..........$6,035,445,421
Vote 5c—Capital expenditures..........$48,256,000
Vote 10c—Grants and contributions..........$251,947,356
(Votes 1c , 5c and 10c agreed to on division)
Shall I report the votes on the supplementary estimates to the House?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon
That concludes the business before us today.
I would like to thank all of the witnesses. I wish to thank the minister and her officials. I know how exhausting your schedules are, so I do appreciate the time you spent with us today to share your expertise and knowledge. Once again, thank you.
Thank you to all the members.
The meeting is adjourned.