Human Resources Committee on Nov. 24th, 2009

[Ben Lobb, Conservative, Huron—Bruce, ON]

I'd like to ask the folks from the Canadian Dental Association a question, specifically on the program being voluntary. My father has been a self-employed person with his own business for over 40 years. He's in his sixties now, so he would be not unlike some members in your association. I think if he were forced into mandatory payments, he would be quite disappointed. I wonder if you could comment on what your association would think about the mandatory portion of what we've heard some of our guests comment on.

[Dr. Don Friedlander]

As I said in my remarks, we're certainly supportive of it being voluntary. It's a principle for us. The voluntary aspect is important to us, as any additional tax without individual benefit goes to increasing the cost of providing care. Frankly, it goes to making access more difficult rather than easier, as we see with the other benefits of this program.

At CDA we see it in the same way we see commercial insurance. Dentists purchase insurance for their practices all the time. None of the insurance is mandatory. It's based on personal situations, perceived future need, and so on. The only mandatory insurance is malpractice insurance, which of course is for the patient's protection.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Raymonde Folco]

Thank you.

I'd like to thank everyone for coming. I have a little bit of business to attend to, and I'd appreciate it if members of the committee would stay for five minutes.

Thank you to everyone for coming. I must say, when you project as you speak, Madam Downey, I see the actress in you, and I appreciate it very much. Thank you, everyone.

We will now go into an in camera meeting.

While our witnesses are leaving, let me get across a bit of business that doesn't have to be in camera.

Everyone has received the latest notes on our trip north and west. As you may have noticed leafing through the few pages, only the Vancouver trip is actually organized as to who will be there and the meetings we will actually be having. I take it for granted, Mr. Etoka, that the details for Whitehorse, Yellowknife, and so on will be coming very soon.

Yes, Mr. Savage.

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

I noticed for Yellowknife that it says no meetings. There are only site visits.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Raymonde Folco]

Is this for Winnipeg on Friday?

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

No, it is Yellowknife.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Raymonde Folco]

You're right.

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

It says no meetings.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Raymonde Folco]

I understand, according to Mr. Etoka, that we had agreed that there would be no meetings. It would only be visits. I was not privy to this.

Mr. Martin, do you wish to add something on this point?

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

I don't know where that Yellowknife agreement or decision came from either.

[Maurice Vellacott, Conservative, Saskatoon—Wanuskewin, SK]

I don't know where it came from either.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Raymonde Folco]

Nobody knew about that. Let me tell you that the chair....

[Maurice Vellacott, Conservative, Saskatoon—Wanuskewin, SK]

I thought there were simply no witnesses, but I never heard that there was a plan to have no witnesses. I didn't think that was the case.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Raymonde Folco]

Well, the reason I'm in the chair is that the chair is away for personal reasons. I don't know when he will be back.

We'll have to bring it up at the meeting, unless some of you have his private number and you're able to get hold of him and talk to him about this. I do not have that information. I don't know.

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

I think we should just ask the staff to come back on Thursday. I can't imagine that Dean would have requested that we not have meetings, so I would ask, unless there's a reason, that we just schedule the groups in for meetings. If one of them wants to do a site visit that fits our schedule, that's fine too.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Raymonde Folco]

Mr. Cannan.

[Ron Cannan, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Actually, Dean mentioned that apparently there are only two witnesses they could find for Yellowknife, so they said to go to Whitehorse. There was a discussion that he had.... Maybe Georges knows.

[The Clerk of the Committee, Mr. Georges Etoka]

I have more names now that have come in since last night.

[Ron Cannan, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

That's what he just told me yesterday; that's why they were.... But if they have witnesses, then why not?

[The Clerk]

We had only two names before. Now I have about ten.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Raymonde Folco]

I don't want to take too much of your time, and I have some other things. Let me go through this very quickly.

For Winnipeg, the meetings will be in the morning only. The afternoon will be made up of visits, from what I understand.

The other thing I want to talk about is Thursday. You remember that we made a commitment....

On va aller à huis clos maintenant.

[Proceedings continue in camera]