Evidence of meeting #87 for Health in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was money.
A video is available from Parliament.
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sean Casey
The subamendment is in order.
The debate is on the subamendment.
Ms. Sidhu has the floor.
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
Sonia Sidhu Liberal Brampton South, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I want to speak on the whole main process today, but certainly I support Dr. Hanley's amendment, which we agree on.
Mr. Chair, I'm disappointed today. I really want to say to all my colleagues that I'm really disappointed today. This motion today, which we are looking into, was brought forward through an urgent measure, Standing Order 106(4), which we are discussing today. Like Mr. Davies, I have served on this committee since 2015. This standing order is only used to bring experts on emergency issues. We heard from experts in 2020 and 2021, and we had this motion triggered for emergencies for the long term. I know that many of us, like Mr. Davies, spoke on that issue during the time of COVID.
Today's matter is in front of another committee, the public accounts committee. Yes, accountability and transparency are important. It was full transparency when the agreement and other...happened. This issue is in front of the public accounts committee. Unredacted documents, due to significant confidentiality procedures to protect commercial sensitivities in this matter, have already been examined by the Auditor General. Another committee is working on this with more resources and more information.
In this committee, when my five colleagues from the other side...and I'm the only woman on this health committee. Today we were to discuss a women's health study, and we're not. But it's important to me. For many women, this is important. Last Saturday, when I was meeting with many women, they said, “Oh, you are doing the study on women's health.” A tweet on it went wild over the weekend. But the women's study is not happening today.
I want to thank Mr. Davies for bringing up the women's study. I have been waiting for it for a long time. But it's not happening today. This is not right. That's why I'm disappointed. I understand that accountability and transparency are important, but another committee is looking into that. This is the health committee. We should study women's health. I'm the only woman here, and I've been waiting for it for a long time. It's not happening today, and it is so sad.
Canadians expect us to do good things and not just do what we're doing here, making clips. There's another time to make all these clips. Let's do the work that Canadians expect us to do.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
12:35 p.m.
Bloc
Luc Thériault Bloc Montcalm, QC
Mr. Chair, I've been patient and have listened to my colleagues. When I signed the letter calling for a meeting pursuant to Standing Order 106(4) on November 2, the Parliamentary Budget Officer and the media had already been attempting to get answers for a week. We requested a meeting and, all of a sudden, the next day, the minister started making revelations. How can one treat an institution like the Parliamentary Budget Office in such a way?
As for me, I have the utmost respect for these institutions, because they ensure the proper functioning of our democracy. This isn't a partisan issue. The identity of the company in question is of little importance. Even if it's a Quebec company, that doesn't mean we will remain silent. The issue is not whether we intend to filibuster the committee—
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
12:35 p.m.
Voices
Oh, oh!
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sean Casey
Colleagues, the bells are ringing.
Therefore, we require the unanimous consent of the committee to continue the meeting.
Do we have unanimous consent to continue the meeting until, say, 1:50? I'm asking for another 20 minutes so we can deal with this, if possible. Do we have unanimous consent to continue for 20 minutes?
12:35 p.m.
Some hon. members
No.
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sean Casey
We do not have unanimous consent.
I am therefore obliged to suspend the meeting, colleagues. It is quite clear that there is a willingness to continue this discussion. There are two ways this could be done. One way is to suspend this meeting, which means that the next time we come together we'll pick up where we left off. The other way is to adjourn the meeting and move to resume debate.
I'm told the committee can agree now to resume debate on Wednesday. We can do that and adjourn. It would simply require us to amend the notice of meeting for the next meeting. The effect is the same.
12:35 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sean Casey
Therefore, Wednesday's meeting will be dedicated to a resumption of this topic.
The meeting is adjourned.