Health Committee on April 23rd, 2026

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

We'll suspend.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

We'll resume.

By the way, for the information of the committee, the rules suggest that if there is a motion to resume debate on a motion that's already been tabled, there is no debate on whether that motion should be accepted or not. It automatically begins to be debated.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

I have a point of order. I think the clerk is trying to explain—

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Mr. Mazier, I just read it in the regulations. Thank you.

Go ahead, Mr. Fragiskatos.

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, London Centre, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Obviously, I'm not a full member of this committee. I'm substituting today. I'll ask for colleagues' indulgence.

I understand that Mr. Mazier has put forward a motion to resume debate on a motion that was already being discussed. What's that regarding?

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

I think everyone has the motion. I will read it, as the chair, for the record. The motion reads:

That the committee order the production of the following documents, unredacted, for the period from 2016 to the present:

a. Contribution agreements concluded with Canada Health Infoway relating to PrescribeIT.

b. A record of the intellectual property developed under PrescribeIT, including the entity that holds the rights and the general terms of use, licensing or transfer.

c. Annual adoption data, broken down by province.

d. The total revenue generated from the 20¢ per-prescription fee.

e. Viability analyses and program evaluations.

f. Documents that led to the decision to terminate the program, including recommendations and analyses provided to Health Canada and to the minister, where applicable.

g. A list of the principal vendors involved in the program, including amounts paid to each.

h. Documents and analyses related to the costs of terminating the program, including contractual obligations, penalties and transition costs.

That these documents be provided by Health Canada and Canada Health Infoway, in accordance with their respective responsibilities, and deposited with the clerk of the committee within one week of the adoption of this motion.

That any redactions be limited to commercially confidential information and that a summary of redacted content and the reasons for such redactions be provided.

This is what we're debating.

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, London Centre, ON]

I understand, Madam Chair, that if there is no unanimous consent to resume, we would go to a vote to decide that. This is not about the main motion. As I understand it, Mr. Mazier is asking the committee to resume debate.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Yes.

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, London Centre, ON]

In other words, if there's no unanimous consent—and I don't believe there is—we would be voting on whether or not to resume debate.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

I'm going to read out the rule regarding the reintroduction of a motion that has already been put before the committee.

The rule states, “The motion to resume consideration of a motion is a non-debatable motion”. We cannot discuss whether we are going to resume it or not. It is now automatically resumed. The rule continues: “it has the same effect as a motion to proceed to another order of business. See, for example, Standing Committee on Health, Evidence, May 2, 2023, Meeting No. 65”.

We're not discussing whether the motion should be tabled. We're now discussing the actual motion.

[Helena Konanz, Conservative, Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Could I have clarification, Chair? Did you read that there is no vote?

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

No. It came off the Order Paper because we adjourned the meeting. It's now being resumed. It automatically does not need to be debated.

The motion itself is on the floor. I just read it. I don't know if you want me to read it again, guys. Are you serious? It's a simple sentence. Do I need to read it again? I will.

We are not voting on whether to adopt the motion. That's what this rule says. We're just going to debate the motion. If you don't want to debate the motion, we can just vote on the motion as tabled.

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, London Centre, ON]

Madam Chair, are you opening up a debate on the motion to resume debating the motion?

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

There is no debate on a motion to resume debate. It's non-debatable, as I just read. You are now debating the actual motion—or amending it or doing whatever you want to do with it.

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, London Centre, ON]

We're not giving unanimous consent to debate.

I would suggest that we go to a vote on Mr. Mazier's motion to resume debate.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

If you want to vote without debating this.... He made a non-debatable motion to resume debate on a motion already tabled, and that's non-debatable. Whether or not to resume debate is non-debatable.

Shall I read the rule again so the committee understands it?

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, London Centre, ON]

No. Our hands are up.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Okay. We're debating the motion on the table.

Do I have—

[Maggie Chi, Liberal, Don Valley North, ON]

I have a point of order, Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Yes, Ms. Chi.

[Maggie Chi, Liberal, Don Valley North, ON]

You mentioned that it's not debatable. What does the green book say? I'm just curious about all dilatory motions. Do dilatory motions require a vote?

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

This is not a dilatory motion. This is just a motion.

Can I read the rule again, guys? It's pretty clear. It is not debatable. If a member asks to resume a motion that was already tabled by the committee, whether to resume it or not is not debatable. It is automatically accepted.

We're debating the actual motion.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

What this means is that we go directly to a vote.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Exactly. If you want to vote on whether you want to accept it, we don't debate it. You just say, “I don't accept this motion coming to the table”, and we get a vote. If “I don't accept” wins, then the motion is gone. If you say, “I accept”, the motion stays. It's that easy. You don't debate it. You just say, “I don't accept this motion being put back on the table”, but the reason you don't accept it is not debatable.

In other words, I'm asking if everybody agrees with this motion. I'm seeking unanimous consent. If it's not there, do you want to go to a vote on whether the motion should be tabled again?

Do you agree to the motion being placed on the Order Paper again?

[An hon. member]

I don't.