Human Resources Committee on Oct. 29th, 2013

[The Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

I call the meeting to order.

Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome.

This is meeting number two of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities. Today is Tuesday, October 29, 2013.

On the agenda today is committee business. I know that we have potentially some motions for discussion, but I must remind the committee that we need to adopt a set of routine motions to guide us through this session of Parliament.

Also, I'll mention that the expectation is that we will have bells at approximately 5:15 p.m., which may also interrupt the length of the meeting.

With that, I'll open the floor for discussion.

Ms. Sims.

[Jinny Sims, NDP, Newton—North Delta, BC]

Chair, I believe the first thing we're going to be dealing with today is routine proceedings—

[The Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

Yes.

[Jinny Sims, NDP, Newton—North Delta, BC]

—and that we are still in an open meeting.

[The Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

Yes.

[Jinny Sims, NDP, Newton—North Delta, BC]

Okay. I have a notice of motion for today, which is:

That in the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, the Chair may receive a motion to move in camera only for the purpose of discussing: (a) wages, salaries, and other employee benefits; (b) contracts and contract negotiations; (c) labour relations and personnel matters; (d) a draft agenda or draft report; and (e) documents or matters requiring confidentiality, such as national security; And that furthermore, that all votes taken in camera be recorded in the minutes, including which member voted which way when recorded votes are requested.

[The Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

Do we have copies of this in both official languages to pass around to committee members?

[Jinny Sims, NDP, Newton—North Delta, BC]

I'm just giving it as a notice of motion. We will get the translation done. I wasn't sure I'd actually get to move it today.

[The Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

Okay, very good.

[An hon. member]

Are we discussing this today?

[Jinny Sims, NDP, Newton—North Delta, BC]

It's a notice of motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

It's a notice of motion basically of 48 hours.

[An hon. member]

Okay, thank you.

[Jinny Sims, NDP, Newton—North Delta, BC]

I know we haven't adopted our rules yet—

[The Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

Right.

[Jinny Sims, NDP, Newton—North Delta, BC]

—but in respect of the rules that we will be adopting, I didn't want to be going outside of those.

[The Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

That is understandable.

[Jinny Sims, NDP, Newton—North Delta, BC]

Chair, I also want to take this opportunity officially to congratulate you on your election, and to say how delighted I am to be a vice-chair and to be the critic sitting on this committee.

This is a very important area for Canadians. There is nothing that is more important to Canadians right now than employment and decent-paying jobs. Also, the social development issues that come under this committee are all issues that are close and dear to my heart.

I also want to congratulate the parliamentary secretaries on their appointments. I look forward to working at committee on a collegial level. Occasionally we're going to have different points of view; I think that's part of the democratic process, but I want to want to say that I come to this committee to make sure that we find a way to work together in a collegial manner to tackle issues that are important to Canadians.

[The Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

In response to that, one committee I've served on is the industry committee. As the chair of the industry committee, I greatly respect member of Parliament David Sweet, who has chaired it for a long time. He has said that in that committee he works on the basis of consensus.

I've been thinking about that notion today, to mention it to this committee. As much as we can, I believe it would be in the committee's interest to work on the basis of consensus, and of course, if that doesn't work—obviously, sometimes it may not—that we operate with a sense of respect for one another's points of view and get through the business that we're dealing with.

[Jinny Sims, NDP, Newton—North Delta, BC]

Chair, one of the key things for me is an adage I have tried to live by: let's agree to disagree without becoming disagreeable in the process. I think that if we all take that to heart, we'll do very well at this committee.

[The Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

Very good.

I'll entertain other motions.

Mr. Armstrong.

[Scott Armstrong, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, NS]

I move that we go in camera to discuss committee business.

[The Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

That's a dilatory motion, so we'll go directly to a vote.

The motion is to go in camera.

(Motion agreed to)

We'll move in camera, so we will take a brief pause while we do so.

[Jinny Sims, NDP, Newton—North Delta, BC]

Could I ask for a minute's break so that I could have a quick word with the parliamentary secretary, please?

[The Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

We will take a break in one moment.

I simply want to direct people who are in the room, who are part of the staff of the members of Parliament around the table, that they need to leave at this point.

We are suspended.

[Proceedings continue in camera]