Evidence of meeting #67 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 sin.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Sheila Fraser  Auditor General of Canada, Office of the Auditor General of Canada
Peter Simeoni  Assistant Deputy Minister, Integrity Services Branch, Service Canada, Department of Human Resources and Social Development
Jim Alexander  Deputy Chief Information Officer, Treasury Board Secretariat
Onno Kremers  Director General, Identity Management Services, Service Canada, Department of Human Resources and Social Development

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

Lynne Yelich Conservative Blackstrap, SK

But can I make sure that we don't have three days in a row anymore? That's a little brutal. Let's not change from just two days, please.

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Most definitely. We've left it to two days. You'll even notice that we only had one day this week, to make up for some of the three days we've been sitting.

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

Lynne Yelich Conservative Blackstrap, SK

Either you're getting better or we are.

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

No, trust me.

There's another issue coming up that we need to deal with as well, with regard to Karen Redman's motion, which I want to just touch on before we finish.

The motion we have before us, Mr. Martin, is that pursuant to Standing Order 97.1, the committee requests from the House an extension of 30 sitting days to complete the study of Bill C-303.

If there's no further discussion, I'll call the question.

(Motion agreed to)

There's one last motion that we need to move.

Ms. Dhalla.

April 17th, 2007 / 5:15 p.m.

Liberal

Ruby Dhalla Liberal Brampton—Springdale, ON

I move that, pursuant to Standing Order 97.1, the committee request from the House an extension of 30 sitting days to complete the study of Bill C-284.

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Thank you very much. According to the agenda and the timeframe we've set aside here, that will be, as of right now, towards the end of May—I believe May 29 and May 31.

Mr. Savage.

5:15 p.m.

Liberal

Michael Savage Liberal Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS

Thank you, Chair.

Just on this bill, I understand the importance. Bill C-303 is a very important bill and requires sufficient time. Bill C-284 is also very important. I met today with some students, and they asked me the status of it, so I'm glad this came up today.

Will it be the next study we do after Bill C-303?

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

We're going to finish up the employability study and we're going to do Bill C-303 and Bill C-284. That is correct. That is the order we're going to follow.

The other thing I want to suggest, not to cloud the issues here, is about the motion of Ms. Redman that came forward. Mr. Lessard proposed, because of the way the motion was written, that we deal with it in May, which we do not have in our calendar right now.

I would encourage you all to go back to your whips to deal with the fact that Mr. Lessard has made a motion that makes a lot of sense: that we have a chance to look at it in the fall, because we are jammed up.

We also have the fact that we don't want to be sitting any more than two days a week. I know that will be coming up for a vote tomorrow night.

So I would encourage you to talk to the whips. It's not that we're trying to put if off, but we have a calendar that is full right now, and unless you want to start sitting three days a week again, that is an issue.

That was a very good motion, Mr. Lessard, that you put forward.

5:15 p.m.

Liberal

Michael Savage Liberal Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS

Mr. Chair, just for clarification, Bill C-284, then, will come when we're finished Bill C-303?

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

That is correct.

5:15 p.m.

Liberal

Michael Savage Liberal Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS

We'll discuss who we'll have and how many days it will be at a future date.

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

I have it in front of me. The way the schedule works right now is that when we're done with them next week, we're going to start with Bill C-303, then the employability study, and then Bill C-284. That is the way it's going to work, as we decided on the subagenda.

5:15 p.m.

Liberal

Michael Savage Liberal Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS

The subcommittee will look at how many days to allocate and make a recommendation to us on Bill C-284.

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Right now we've allocated what was recommended, which was two days. We can certainly add to it in June, as Ms. Yelich was suggesting for Bill C-303. That's not a problem.

We have a motion on the table to extend the sitting days. If I have no further discussion on it, I'll call the vote.

(Motion agreed to)

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Those are the two motions I wanted to deal with.

To deal with Mr. Savage and Ms. Yelich, would we like to add another day to Bill C-303? Is that what you're suggesting?

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

Lynne Yelich Conservative Blackstrap, SK

The deadline to report was later.

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

No, it's been dealt with. You were suggesting earlier that you had additional witnesses. Do we want to add one more day for witnesses, or do you want to try to circumvent that?

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

Lynne Yelich Conservative Blackstrap, SK

I think we can tack them on.

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

You want to tack them on.

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

Lynne Yelich Conservative Blackstrap, SK

Well, maybe we can play a little bit. Let me think.

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Okay. You think about it, and we can talk.

We have a subcommittee meeting on Thursday morning, and we can look at it as we move forward.

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

Lynne Yelich Conservative Blackstrap, SK

Would it make any sense to flip Bill C-284 and Bill C-303 and do Bill C-284 first?

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

We already have the witnesses.

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

Lynne Yelich Conservative Blackstrap, SK

Okay. I'm only checking.

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Mr. Lake, Mr. Savage, and then Mr. Martin.

Mr. Lake.