Human Resources Committee on Oct. 31st, 2006

[Tony Martin, NDP, Sault Ste. Marie, ON]

I just want some clarification. I believe Mr. Lessard is recommending that we set up a separate committee to look at this bill, which would allow us then to move forward with the already scheduled business of the committee.

You'll note on the calendar that on November 21 and November 23 we already have scheduled in a couple of items--a study of the social economy initiative, which has been cut severely by the government in the last few weeks; and a study of poverty, of the people out there in the country who have been affected very directly by the cuts.

I would ask members of the committee to consider that. We've bumped that twice now, and I would like to see it stay on.

I'm going to be supporting the recommendation that I think Mr. Lessard made, which is to have a special committee, or a subcommittee of this committee, to deal with the bill.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Thank you, Mr. Martin.

I don't believe his motion.... Although Mr. Lessard may have some thoughts on this, what he was talking about was putting a working plan in place.

We're going to go to Mr. Storseth, Mr. Coderre, and then back to Mr. Lessard.

Mr. Storseth.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

We have a lot of very important issues coming forward. I believe the motion is not necessarily to start talking about the working plan here right now, today. I agree that if we are going to do this, we should take this and make it a priority to start the working plan together on November 21, our first meeting back. Then we can discuss this, whether it's through a special committee, extra meetings, etc.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Mr. Coderre.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

I think Mr. Martin has a valid point. My only question, though, is did we already ask the witnesses to come on November 21 and November 23 with regard to poverty and the social economy?

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Not formally at this stage, so we have some flexibility.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Are you okay with that, Tony?

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Mr. Lessard, and then Mr. Martin.

[Yves Lessard, Bloc, Chambly—Borduas, QC]

I apologize to our colleague. I am perhaps the person who misled him about the committee.

First of all, the motion under consideration ought not to be misconstrued. The idea was for a work plan to be adopted no later than November 2. It is now Thursday. My understanding is that we would decide to do that today. For me, that is not a problem.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to state our position to you. When the committee sits again, the people will not be those who are here today. They will be those who have presented arguments about the bill and who want the work to be done more efficiently. That is why I think that we could add meetings to the time already scheduled for the committee. If the other parties are willing to do the same, that would free up quite a bit of time and accelerate the work. In addition, I do not think that it is necessary to wait until November 21 to do so. We could begin this week or next week.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Thank you, Mr. Lessard.

I think the proposal is that we meet on November 21 to discuss some of these other potentials.

Mr. Martin.

[Tony Martin, NDP, Sault Ste. Marie, ON]

Just for the committee's edification, the groups who were contacted at some point by the clerk as well to come forward for the social economy initiative and the poverty study have been bumped twice now. They were ready to come in June and again in October, but because of the cuts we bumped them back.

They've been out there, waiting to come. They may not have been formally scheduled, but they're waiting.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Mr. Coderre.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Since the motion said that we should on November 23...because I was asking for clarification; I was not amending your amendment.

The amendment is that, instead of November 2, November 23 we will work together on the work plan. I would say that we keep the witnesses, and that at the end of the session on November 23 we take half an hour to decide amongst ourselves what the work plan should be. But then it means that any other session from human resources will be based on Bill C-257.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Well, that will be determined by the committee in terms of the work plan.

[Lynne Yelich, Conservative, Blackstrap, SK]

That's to be determined, then. Can we pass...?

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Once again, Ms. Yelich's motion is that we replace “November 2” with “November 23”, to come up with the working plan. Is that correct?

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Yes. Let's vote on that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Hold on.

Mr. Martin.

[Tony Martin, NDP, Sault Ste. Marie, ON]

In that half hour from 12:30 to one we will do that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Okay.

That is the amendment. If there is no more discussion on that amendment, let's call the vote.

(Amendment agreed to)

[Lynne Yelich, Conservative, Blackstrap, SK]

Now can we deal with the main motion?

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Now we need to call a vote on the main motion, as amended.

(Motion as amended agreed to) [See Minutes of Proceedings]

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

I didn't even vote yet.

[An hon. member]

You had your voice.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

We'll save it for later.

Okay, we have some other motions before us.

Ms. Yelich.