Health Committee on Oct. 26th, 2020

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

On Ms. Rempel Garner's motion, we go now to Mr. Maguire.

[Larry Maguire, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I feel that this is a common motion that we need to have. It's just for information's sake. I'm in favour of it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Thank you, Mr. Maguire.

Mr. Davies is next.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

I'm sorry, Mr. Chair; my hand is up to move a motion, not for debate.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Thank you.

Ms. Sidhu, go ahead.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Mr. Chair, I would like to introduce my motion:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee undertake a study on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Canadians in Long Term Care Facilities, and the role that the federal government can play in supporting provincial and territorial partners [in] whose jurisdictions these facilities are; that the Committee report its findings and recommendations to the House and that pursuant to Standing Order 109, the Committee request that the Government table a comprehensive response to the report.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Thank you, Ms. Sidhu. However, that motion is not in order at this time. There is a motion being debated on the floor.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Mr. Chair, can I amend the motion so that it would not be this week that the minister would come on the main estimates? Can I amend that motion?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

If you wish to move an amendment on Ms. Rempel Garner's motion, go ahead.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Can we remove “this week”?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

I'm not clear on what your amendment is.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

It's on the minister appearing. I want to amend that motion.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

I'm not clear on exactly what amendment you're making.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

I want to clarify, Mr. Chair. On the main estimates, I think we need to.... Can you clarify that—

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

On a point of order, Chair, this isn't a motion on the main estimates.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Ms. Rempel Garner, if you've sent the motion to the clerk already, perhaps we can get a copy from him.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Mr. Chair, I want to amend Ms. Rempel's motion to remove that the minister is to come this week.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Ms. Rempel, I too am not quite clear on the specific language of your motion. I hope to see it imminently from the clerk.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

On a point of order, I did send it to the clerk. It's a standard motion that every committee deals with, inviting the minister to appear on the supplementary estimates.

While I have the floor on a point of order, to my colleague, it's standard practice for the committee to invite the minister within a certain time frame. It is up to the minister whether or not she appears. I think if we pass this motion, it's really up to the minister whether or not she decides to come before the committee. I know we can't compel her, but certainly you would think that the health minister would appear before the health committee on the supplementary estimates.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

I kind of missed that language in your motion. Did you say you wanted the health minister to come this week?

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

I will read it again.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Please do. Thank you.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

It states:

That, pursuant to the Order of Reference of October 22, 2020, the Minister of Health appear before the Committee for no fewer than 2 hours to consider the Supplementary Estimates (B) on or before Friday, October 30, 2020; and that this meeting be televised.

This is pretty basic stuff, Mr. Chair. It's a motion to get the minister in front of the committee for supplementary estimates.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Thank you, Ms. Rempel Garner.

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

Mr. Chair, on a point of order on the level of sarcasm there, that's four days away. Ms. Sidhu was asking if we could just remove “on or before” the 30th. We all on the committee, I'm sure, will agree that we want the minister to come, and that we want it televised. Let's do it. We know these things. We always ask the minister to come.

That's all Ms. Sidhu was asking for. There was no need to poke fun.