Health Committee on Oct. 18th, 2022

[Jean-Denis Garon, Bloc, Mirabel, QC]

Here's what I suggest we do. First, let's agree to schedule additional meetings to accommodate witnesses. Second, let's agree to submit our witness lists to the clerk by Friday at 5 p.m. so that we can plan our meetings.

I understand that Mr. Davies can't be with us right now and someone is sitting in for him on the committee. We heard some reservations about that. We could, for example, schedule two two-hour meetings for next Monday, perhaps three—that would make for a long day—so that everyone has time to prepare and the clerk has time to call witnesses. That way, Mr. Davies will be back and we will be showing respect for everyone. It seems to me that's a good way to do things. Obviously, Monday will be a long day for us, but so be it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Dr. Ellis, go ahead.

[Stephen Ellis, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Thank you, Chair.

I think a couple of things are important, just for clarification.

Obviously, we have priority for House resources. When does that actual priority start? Will it start on Thursday, for instance, and continue through the weekend?

I just have a couple of other things, but if you'd like to answer, please do.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

My understanding is that it will start the minute the motion is adopted.

[Stephen Ellis, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Okay.

Of course, after that, I do think it's important that we have an in camera discussion with respect to specific witnesses we want to appear before the committee.

I certainly think we have limited time today. I would suggest that we're going to need an in camera meeting on Thursday and submission of witnesses by Friday at five o'clock, which could also possibly mean meetings over the weekend on an urgent basis.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Mr. Blaikie, go ahead.

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

I'd like to thank Mr. Garon for his suggestion. I feel it would be a good way to go, and I'd be willing to support a motion of that nature.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Okay.

Colleagues, we have two suggestions. One is from Monsieur Garon, which is that in addition to meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday, we have two two-hour sessions to hear from witnesses. We have a suggestion from Dr. Ellis that Thursday's meeting be in camera and dedicated to the identification of those witnesses. I don't think those two suggestions are inconsistent.

Is that a fair summary of where we are? Are there any further interventions?

Mrs. Goodridge, go ahead.

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Considering that the minute the motion is passed we gain access to priority resourcing, I would suggest that we not hold ourselves to waiting till Thursday. Perhaps we can have a meeting on Wednesday to have these discussions, so we're not behind the eight ball and having to work through the entire weekend trying to catch up.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Dr. Powlowski, go ahead.

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

The question of working on the weekend has come up. I would suggest that several of us have family. I'm not sure what the urgency is in getting this done all of a sudden, requiring us to work on the weekend and forgo our time with our families.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

We have Dr. Ellis, and then Monsieur Garon.

[Stephen Ellis, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Thank you again for ceding the floor, Chair.

In response to Dr. Powlowski, I think the difficulty here is that it's your own party that's causing the difficulty. You are pressing this issue to say how urgent it is. This is not the doing of this side of the floor.

If we have to work through the weekend, then so be it. I don't want to work through the weekend any more than you do. That being said, maybe you need to have a discussion with your own party and ask them why they are pushing this legislation so hard and so quickly, when I think it needs...as does Monsieur Garon. I don't want to suppose that I speak for him, but this requires due process.

I think that in order for us to be any part of spending at least, let's be honest, $10 billion more—not a small stone thrown into a lake but a boulder thrown into a teacup of money—I think it behooves us to be able to be here to support the Canadian people and have appropriate lists of witnesses.

Does that mean that it's going to take the weekend? It may very well do that, and if it's uncomfortable, unfortunately, for several government ministers, then so be it. It requires their plans to change. I do think, as I said, that it behooves us as parliamentarians to look at a $10-billion piece of legislation in a very careful and systematic way, and also to be able to bring witnesses who will be able to contribute to that discussion in a very forthright and honest way. It is going to take some time to have a fulsome discussion on that.

It's unfortunate, as you said, Dr. Powlowski, that your government wants to push this legislation, but from our side of the aisle, I think we'd like to make sure that we have a fulsome discussion on that.

Thank you very much for bringing that forward. I really appreciate it, as always.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

We have Monsieur Garon, and then Mr. Blaikie.

[Jean-Denis Garon, Bloc, Mirabel, QC]

I'll repeat my motion that we schedule a meeting now for next Monday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and another in the afternoon in addition to the 7 p.m. meeting. We could pass this motion today so that we can start planning those meetings.

We can agree to submit witness lists on Friday. We can discuss witnesses on Thursday, but make it clear right now that we will have two additional meetings on Monday so that we can work on our witness lists and continue the discussion on Thursday. We could then decide whether we want to hold an additional meeting on Friday or over the weekend.

I believe we should adopt the consensus part now, which is to add two meetings on Monday, and continue the discussion at the next meeting what we've all thought this through.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Mr. Blaikie, go ahead.

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

I think Mr. Garon just put it very well. I'd be happy to move to making a decision on his proposal.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

All right. Monsieur Garon has proposed that we, on Thursday in camera, discuss witnesses, that we commit now to holding two two-hour meetings on Monday in advance of the 7:00 p.m. meeting where we're able to go to clause-by-clause, and that any additional time that may be required is something that we will leave to decide at our Thursday meeting.

Mrs. Goodridge has suggested that the Thursday meeting where we go in camera to discuss witnesses take place tomorrow.

Those are the two proposals in front of you. Again, I don't think they're necessarily entirely inconsistent. Are there any interventions? I see none. I'm going to put both of them to you in the form of a question.

Is it the will of the committee to schedule an in camera meeting tomorrow to discuss witnesses?

(Motion negatived)

We will not be meeting tomorrow. We will be meeting on Thursday at our regular time, in camera, to discuss witnesses, and also to discuss what additional time needs to be allocated over and above the four hours on Monday.

Okay, I just said that as if it's a done deal.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

The proposal before you now is that we will have an in camera meeting on Thursday to discuss witnesses, and we will set aside at least four hours on Monday for that purpose, and such additional time as may be decided on Thursday. Is it the will of the committee to proceed in that fashion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

We have consensus that we will meet on Thursday in camera to discuss witnesses, and for at least four hours on Monday, in addition to any additional time that we may decide this Thursday.

Is it the will of the committee now to adjourn?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

We are adjourned. Thank you.