Evidence of meeting #3 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was ministers.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Adam Vaughan Liberal Spadina—Fort York, ON
What would you suggest as a replacement for one hour—two hours?
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
What was the original deal on the estimates? Were we going to do one hour? I don't have the motion in front of me.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Adam Vaughan Liberal Spadina—Fort York, ON
Was it two hours for each meeting? We have two meetings in front of us, so put two hours for each meeting.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
It would be two hours for each meeting.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
Again, to clarify, with the original motion that we as a committee passed to have them come in, was that for two hours for each minister to come in?
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB
I don't think there was a time. There wasn't a time.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
What we're suggesting, then, is that we'll have two hours with two ministers so we can cover the mandate and the estimates. Okay. To me that seems a little more reasonable.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB
As the individual who proposed the motion, I want to clarify that there was no time tied to it. We didn't discuss time, but I think we were thinking one hour per minister. I understand the challenges of ministers' schedules, but ultimately they are accountable to our committee, since they are guiding the direction of the committee and implementing the will of the committee. I'm just saying that I recognize their hectic schedules, but I think they have an obligation to be here for us. I think taking one hour out of their schedule is incredibly reasonable.
I'm a little concerned. An hour would have been enough for the estimates, but now, with the mandate letter and the estimates.... However, I guess in some ways they're one and the same in terms of priorities, potentially, and implementation of priorities, so I guess we'll have to use the one hour as we see fit.
However, the way the motion is presented, just in my opinion, is that additional time—
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB
Okay, so we get two hours per minister. Then I'm fine with it.
I thought you were saying two ministers per hour or two for the....
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
We'll have two ministers for two hours, and we can cover mandates and estimates. Bingo.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB
So it's one hour per minister, though. That's what it is if it's two hours.
4:30 p.m.
An hon. member
And there are also department officials for each minister who appears.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB
I must admit, this motion seemed a little redundant to me if they're coming here already, with the exception that....
If it's one hour per minister, I'll be quiet and I'm all behind it. That's great. Thank you.
4:30 p.m.
Bloc
Louise Chabot Bloc Thérèse-De Blainville, QC
So the ministers will be in groups.
There will be two hours for the Minister of Labour and the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, and two hours for the Minister of Seniors and the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.
During those two hours, we will talk about the mandate letters and we will discuss the supplementary estimates related to their mandates. That is how I understand it and I am in agreement.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sean Casey
I think we have a consensus here, but we don't have a motion in front of us that reflects it.
Mr. Vaughan, I'm going to impose on you to either propose a subamendment or to withdraw your amendment and give us the wording that seems to capture the discussion.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Adam Vaughan Liberal Spadina—Fort York, ON
I'll withdraw my wording and use the wording that you used in place of it—
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Adam Vaughan Liberal Spadina—Fort York, ON
—including the two hours.
Ms. Gazan read a motion, so just add the two-hour clause to it and we're good to go.
Sorry not to be....
February 27th, 2020 / 4:35 p.m.
The Clerk of the Committee Mr. Michael MacPherson
This is what I have: “That the committee ask the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, the Minister of Labour, and the Minister of Seniors to testify before the committee and that the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development appear with the Minister of Seniors on main estimates and mandate letters for two hours, and that the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities appear with the Minister of Labour at a different meeting on main estimates and mandate letters for two hours.”
