Evidence of meeting #16 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was cuts.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Phillippe Ouellette  National Director, Canadian Alliance of Student Associations
Toby White  Government Relations Officer, Canadian Alliance of Student Associations
Arthur Kroeger  Chairman, Board of Directors, Canadian Policy Research Networks
Sharon Manson Singer  President, Canadian Policy Research Networks
Barb Byers  Executive Vice-President, Canadian Labour Congress
Monica Lysack  Executive Director, Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada
Bob Wyatt  Executive Director, The Muttart Foundation

12:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Sure, just quickly, please.

12:35 p.m.

Executive Director, Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada

Monica Lysack

I had this question about how many child care spaces we've created asked by a member at the committee of finance. It is not our mandate to create child care spaces; it's our job to comment on public policy that influences the development of child care spaces.

Following that meeting, when that member suggested outside of the House of Commons that if we changed our position perhaps our organization might be eligible for government funding, I said thanks, but no thanks. We stick to our vision. Our vision is to promote effective public policy for developing a child care system.

12:40 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Thank you very much.

That is all the time we have.

I know that Mr. D'amours wanted to add one question.

We have some committee business we need to get to, so Mr. D'Amours is going to ask a quick question.

12:40 p.m.

Liberal

Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB

Thank you, Mr. Chair, for allowing me to speak for a few seconds.

I would ask each of the five organisations, if they will, to answer my question by a simple yes or no.

Do you find it strange that the Parliamentary Secretary, who is here today, would ask you specifically which programs have been cut while the government refuses to speak to you individually?

12:40 p.m.

An hon. member

That’s a good question.

12:40 p.m.

Executive Vice-President, Canadian Labour Congress

Barb Byers

Can we say absolument?

12:40 p.m.

Conservative

Lynne Yelich Conservative Blackstrap, SK

On a point of clarification, I think they understood what I meant when--

12:40 p.m.

Liberal

Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB

Mr. Chair, four groups haven’t answered the question.

12:40 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Yes.

12:40 p.m.

Executive Director, Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada

12:40 p.m.

Executive Director, The Muttart Foundation

Bob Wyatt

I find nothing strange anymore, Mr. Chairman.

October 17th, 2006 / 12:40 p.m.

Executive Vice-President, Canadian Labour Congress

Barb Byers

We haven't completed our research.

12:40 p.m.

National Director, Canadian Alliance of Student Associations

12:40 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

All right, we had one politically correct answer. There we go.

12:40 p.m.

Conservative

Lynne Yelich Conservative Blackstrap, SK

The question was because there was a...every volunteer and every organization, and one person said 160,000. It was a point of clarification.

12:40 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

We won't have that debate right now.

I want to thank all the organizations that came in today. I apologize for missing your presentations earlier.

I know that here in Parliament we don't always agree on policies and things, but you came to express your concerns, and we appreciate you taking the time out of your schedules to be here today.

What I'm going to do now is to move into committee business. I know we have to deal with a few issues here. We have a few motions, and if we could get right to that, that would be great.

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Okay. Let's start.

I know we have about four motions before us today that we need to deal with, and then we just want to go over some housekeeping things as well before we adjourn at one. I know there are a few people who need to get out of here.

Let's go to the first motion. Ms. Yelich, can you speak to that motion?

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

Lynne Yelich Conservative Blackstrap, SK

Yes. Thank you.

I put this motion forward to postpone any meeting occurring on an opposition supply day if a matter under discussion in the House falls within the purview of Human Resources and Social Development Canada, because the opposition supply day is very important, and if it's specific to our topic, then most of us would like to be there, because most of us are interested in the debate. I just wondered if this committee would be respectful of that, given that the critics are here at committee, and it really makes it very difficult.

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Are there any points of discussion?

Go ahead, Mr. Lessard.

12:45 p.m.

Bloc

Yves Lessard Bloc Chambly—Borduas, QC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I believe that the motion was not appropriate, in the present circumstances, because in committee, we can table a motion with regards to any situation. I believe that the motions that are examined during opposition days don’t all require the same amount of attention from the committee’s part, in light of its obligations. The committee will have to routinely decide. I will therefore vote against the motion.

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Thank you, Mr. Lessard.

I assume that would indicate that you are....

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

Lynne Yelich Conservative Blackstrap, SK

That were specific to our....

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Right. Fair enough. Yes. I understand that.

Is there any other discussion on this motion? All those in favour of the motion?

(Motion agreed to)

I think what Mr. Lessard was suggesting, though, is that on a case-by-case basis, we should maybe consider that. I think we'll look at that. I appreciate the fact that as critics and parliamentary secretaries, you're required to be in the House for that kind of debate.

We're going to move to Mr. Regan. I know he has a couple of motions here. Mr. Regan, would you like to speak to the first one?

12:45 p.m.

Liberal

Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS

Yes, Mr. Chairman.

As you can see, I'd like to move that in consideration of the funding cuts to Human Resources and Social Development Canada announced on September 25, 2006, the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Social Development and Status of Persons recommend that the government continue funding a summer career placement program at the 2005-06 level and that the chair report the adoption of this motion to the House forthwith. I think we heard some of the reasons for this today from the witnesses from CASA, in particular.

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Is there any debate on this?

Mr. D'Amours.