Evidence of meeting #34 for Health in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was study.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Conservative
Conservative
Helena Konanz Conservative Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
Thank you. I appreciate that.
I must say I'm disappointed that this committee is not addressing the PrescribeIT study.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal
Madam Konanz, I will tell you right now, if you want to make my life easier and yours easier, let me focus on the motion as amended. If we focus on this right now, we will get this out of the way, and then you can bring in new studies that you want to do.
Please, let's focus on this.
Conservative
Helena Konanz Conservative Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
Do we have a promise from the Liberal members that they will go on to the study—
Conservative
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal
Can I have the floor?
I have told the members that I, as the chair, have a duty. I will tell you right now that I am being very fair about what should be done. Right now, my focus is that the committee should focus on the motion as amended.
I cannot give any promises to you, because you are speaking to me. You are not speaking to the members. Members have every right, and you have every right, to vote however you want to vote at the last minute. We haven't even voted on this. Once we vote on this motion as amended, then those questions can be asked.
Let's focus right now on this.
On a point of order, I see Mr. Mazier.
Conservative
Dan Mazier Conservative Riding Mountain, MB
I think the member has an absolute right to question the schedule of what is going to happen here in committee.
It is right in the motion, where it actually refers to a timetable of what we're going to talk about. However, there are so many other issues that had to be.... Basically, this was sidelined because we were on an emergency meeting. I thought we were going to actually talk about the emergency meeting. Five members thought that PrescribeIT was a very important issue, with the whole $300-million boondoggle. Meanwhile, you won't even let a member talk about the schedule of the meeting and how HIV and—
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal
Mr. Mazier, I didn't want to use this language, but I'm telling you something right now. This matter has to do with HIV. There might be an intent of the members to filibuster this meeting, even though I'm not bringing it, and members have every right to speak.
What is next? For us, right now, we have an amended motion. That is the business of the day, and that's what I'm focusing on. My duty is to make sure that I bring the members back to this.
Members can speak for hours. I've been giving you guys all the time you needed for the last three or four days, with five meetings, and I'm not stopping you here. You have every right to speak. You continue to speak until I exhaust the speaking list. Once the speaking list is exhausted, then I will call the vote. I'm giving you enough opportunity, and I'm not intervening.
The only time I'm intervening is when those decisions cannot be made at this point in time. At this point in time, I have an amended motion in front of me, and I have to make sure that I focus the debate on this. Once it gets finalized, then we will come back to all the questions you are asking me about.
Thank you.
Madam Konanz, please go ahead.
Conservative
Helena Konanz Conservative Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
Chair, I want this on the record. Every single one of those members is on their phone right now. We had a motion here about a disaster in this world, Ebola, and they're on their phones, not even paying attention. I want the public to know that.
Liberal
Conservative
Helena Konanz Conservative Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
I will take that back, but what I will say is that I am seriously concerned that the minute we vote on this motion, the Liberals will turn out the lights. They will shut the door, as they have in the past, and put this in camera. Do I have a commitment that every single one of them will not close the door again and turn off the cameras to the public for 30 years, as they have done over and over again in this room?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal
You can continue speaking. I'm not going to entertain that question. You continue speaking, please.
Conservative
Helena Konanz Conservative Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
Okay, so we don't have a commitment that they will not shut the lights out on the Canadian public. Then I want to make the following verbal motion. “Given that Liberal—”
Conservative
Helena Konanz Conservative Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
It's a verbal notice. I'm sorry.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal
Again, I'll tell you right now, honourable members, that in the beginning of the meeting, because we have two official languages, I requested that we do not take the committee time away from the important topics of HIV that we are studying.
If you can circulate that motion by email, I would really appreciate that. You have every right to read the motion, but you know that it's taking time away from this study. You have every right, but I am requesting it of you. If you want to circulate it, that's fine. If you want to read it, it's your choice.