Evidence of meeting #62 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.)
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bryan May
Good afternoon, everybody.
We have a bit of preamble here, so we'll get started, although Mona's part of our preamble, so maybe we should wait for her for a bit.
We'll get started. First of all, welcome back, for those of you who were on this committee before the summer. It is with great pleasure that I welcome the new members of our committee.
Honourable Steven Blaney, welcome.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bryan May
Honourable Alice Wong, welcome.
Hopefully soon—speak of the devil and she shall appear.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bryan May
Not at all. You have perfect timing.
Mona Fortier, member from Ottawa, will also be joining us on our committee as a permanent fixture.
Also, of course, Rachel, you're joining us again temporarily for the seniors piece? Is that correct?
Glen, I believe you're covering for Mr. Warawa, who we thought we were going to lose and now we found out we're going to get to keep him, so that's fantastic.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bryan May
My petition worked.
Welcome to everybody. For those of you who have not sat on this committee, this is a very productive committee, and it's always worked well. We may not have always agreed, but everything has always been very respectful and productive. I know we all want to continue with that.
I want to also officially pseudo-welcome the parliamentary secretaries, who are obviously still non-voting on this committee, but also now—as per the Standing Order changes—are able to speak and have the same rights as any other member. Of course, we have with us today member of Parliament Vaughan, as well as Rodger Cuzner and Stéphane Lauzon rounding out the parliamentary secretary team. I know they're eager to contribute to a lot of the different topics that we're going to be talking about here in HUMA.
There are a lot of changes. I want to note that the Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities has also changed, and is now the Hon. Kent Hehr since August of this year.
We wish Minister Qualtrough all the best in her new challenges, of which there are many.
I would imagine we will be asking the minister to greet and report to this committee at some point soon. I've extended that opportunity to him, and we'll wait for a response.
I also want to take this opportunity, both as the chair but personally as well, to say that as a rookie in this room two years ago, I'm not exactly sure what I would have done without Julie Geoffrion, who is joining us today, unfortunately, for the last time. That petition, unfortunately, did not get heard. Julie is moving on to greener pastures and is going to be working on the justice committee.
I know I can say from all of us, Julie, that the work you've put into this committee has not gone unnoticed, so thank you very much.
You know, out with the old and in with the new.
Welcome to Stephanie, our new clerk for the HUMA committee. Stephanie and I have met already and I know she will very quickly get used to my brand of humour and roll her eyes many times at me, I'm sure.
Welcome aboard.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bryan May
Please never let me steer off in the wrong direction. Always bring me back to the centre.
Also, I'd like to welcome our new Library of Parliament analyst, Havi. Is Havi here?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bryan May
She's not here? Okay. We will welcome her when she arrives, so we have more to do.
That's pretty much the preamble. I believe we need to go in camera for the rest. Am I correct? That will be after the election. Okay.
We have to elect a new vice-chair, and the clerk will read the election script.
The Clerk
Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the first vice-chair must be a member of the official opposition.
I am now prepared to receive motions for the first vice-chair.
Conservative
The Clerk
It has been moved by Mr. Motz that Mr. Blaney be elected as first vice-chair of the committee.
Are there any further motions?
Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?
The Clerk
I declare the motion carried, and Mr. Blaney duly elected first vice-chair of the committee.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bryan May
Congratulations, sir.
Now I believe we need to go in camera, because we have committee business, so we'll just suspend for a moment while we do that.
[Proceedings continue in camera]
