Evidence of meeting #137 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was point.
A video is available from Parliament.
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
12:30 p.m.
NDP
12:30 p.m.
NDP
Brigitte Sansoucy NDP Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I welcome the ministers who are with us today, but I would like to raise a point of order with regard to the motion I moved on May 4, 2018. I have extra copies for the interpreters, Madam Clerk. So that everyone understands what I'm talking about, I am going to read the motion and explain...
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bryan May
Excuse me, Madame Sansoucy, you cannot move a motion on a point of order.
12:30 p.m.
NDP
12:30 p.m.
NDP
Brigitte Sansoucy NDP Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
I am not tabling it, but I would like to explain my point of order. I have tabled this motion six times, I believe, over the past year, once with the ministers present. I would like to now read this motion so that everyone understands what I am talking about.
That the Committee undertake a study of a minimum of six meetings on the Employment Insurance sickness benefits program to examine especially, but not exclusively; a. if the program meets the real needs of the claimants; b. the impact of the length of benefits on the claimants and on their recovery; c. the program accessibility; d. the population affected by this program and their characteristics; and that it hear, not limited to this list, witnesses from the health sector, former claimants or groups representing them, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, and that it report on its conclusions to the House.
Why am I raising a point of order, Mr. Chair? Since last May, I have tried to move this motion before the committee on several occasions. That is how we have to do things. Each time, there is a request to adjourn and, each time, the government representatives have refused to vote on my motion.
Until now, I've told myself that this was their choice, but, last week, when, in the House calendar...
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
12:30 p.m.
NDP
Brigitte Sansoucy NDP Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
The Government representatives refuse to vote on this motion in committee, but, last week, they put quite a similar motion on the House calendar. There was one hour of debate on a similar motion in the House. However, they refuse to vote on it in this committee. Yes, employment insurance must be reformed. It is absolutely essential, but the priority, an urgent one, is taking care of the most vulnerable…
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bryan May
You should be citing a particular reference if there is a point of order there. If there is a particular reference to the point of order, please get to that because we do have a very short time with the ministers.
Can you please explain the standing order that's being contravened?
12:30 p.m.
NDP
Brigitte Sansoucy NDP Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Mr. Chair, before I answer that, I would like to explain why it is a priority for us to vote on this...
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bryan May
I'm sorry, you have to get to a point of order or we have to move on. You've had plenty of time. Either there is a point of order here or there isn't. If there's a reference to a particular point of order, please immediately get to it.
12:35 p.m.
NDP
12:35 p.m.
John Barlow Foothills, CPC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I don't want to take up too much time, but I did mention prior to our leaving in the previous portion of this meeting that I did want to ask for unanimous consent to waive the ministers' opening statements. All of us know their files quite well. I know we're going to cut them down to five minutes. I'm not really too sure what they're going to say in five minutes.
I would rather we had as much time for questions as possible, so I'm asking my colleagues around this table to give unanimous consent to waive the ministers' opening statements so we can get to questions. That's what we're all here for, to have our opportunities to ask questions of the ministers. No offence to the ministers, but I don't need to hear the PMO talking points for the next 20 minutes. I would rather we had the chance to ask questions.