Evidence of meeting #16 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was data.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sean Casey
Go ahead if you want to supplement that, Mr. Segel-Brown. Then we're going to wrap up.
5:55 p.m.
Analyst, Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer
For households where there are repair issues or crowding—that's unsuitable and inadequate housing—we aren't measuring the gap between the affordable level and what they pay. We're assuming they would have to rent another unit at market rent. That reflects the rent subsidy that would be required for that household to be able to access a unit at market rent.
5:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sean Casey
Thank you very much Mr. Giroux and your supporting staff. We first of all want to thank you for your patience in terms of having to wait until we got through the votes to appear before us, for the work that you've done on your report and for being with us here this evening.
I have no doubt that the report will greatly help us as we are now concluding the study and about to issue drafting instructions. Thank you for the work you have done in furthering the study that we've undertaken.
We are now going to move to committee business.
Mr. Giroux and company, you are welcome to stay but you are free to leave. We don't have any further questions.
5:55 p.m.
Conservative
Brad Vis Conservative Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC
Mr. Chair, I have just one quick point before we proceed, if that's okay, sir?
5:55 p.m.
Conservative
Brad Vis Conservative Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC
Mr. Giroux kindly agreed that they would get back to me on some of those questions. I think it's timely information for our upcoming report. I'm just wondering if they would be able to give us that information in the next couple of business days, if that's most appropriate.
5:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sean Casey
Mr. Giroux, can you come up with the answers that you've undertaken to provide as quickly as you can? As I indicated, you are the last witnesses for the study. We're going to issue drafting instructions and the information that you've committed to provide may very well factor significantly in the report.
I'm reluctant to impose a deadline, but if we could ask you to proceed with all due haste, that would be greatly appreciated.
6 p.m.
Parliamentary Budget Officer, Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer
Sure. We always strive to provide information as fast as possible, but we'll put extra attention to your committee. I would say, Mr. Chair, that's what happens when you save the best for last.
6 p.m.
Liberal
6 p.m.
Parliamentary Budget Officer, Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer
Thank you.
6 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sean Casey
All right, colleagues. We do have quite a few items by way of committee business, so I'll just give you a rundown of what we hope to accomplish and then we'll start chipping away.
The first order of business will be the election of a vice-chair. Then I would like for us to turn our attention to our next study on employment insurance and talk about the next meeting and the opening statements. Also on the EI study, if we could agree on whether we're going to accept briefs, there does appear to be a fair amount of interest, and we have drafted a press release if you wish to do that.
Among the other items for consideration is of course issuing drafting instructions on the report that we're in the process of finishing now and on exactly how we're going to incorporate the testimony we just heard today as part of those drafting instructions. You already will have received a draft outline, so it will be a discussion around how we're going to slot this in.
We have two budgets for you to approve and then perhaps a discussion around the way we structure panels for the next report, bearing in mind that we continue to have encroachments on our time from votes.
That's what I hope to get through in the next hour or less, and, of course, any other business you wish to raise.
We could start with the election of the vice-chair. Now that vice-chair Peter Kent has moved on to greener pastures, there is an opening for the position of vice-chair, who must be a member of Her Majesty's loyal opposition. The floor is now open for nominations for the position of vice-chair.
6 p.m.
The Clerk of the Committee Ms. Danielle Widmer
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.
6 p.m.
Conservative
Brad Vis Conservative Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC
I move that Raquel Dancho become the vice-chair of our committee.
6 p.m.
The Clerk
It has been moved by Brad Vis that Raquel Dancho be elected first vice-chair of the committee.
Are there any further motions? I will now proceed to a recorded division, unless there's unanimous consent for the motion.
(Motion agreed to)
I declare that Raquel Dancho is duly elected first vice-chair of the committee.
Congratulations.
6 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sean Casey
Thank you very much, Madam Clerk.
For the second item of committee business, I'd just like to have a brief discussion, colleagues, about our upcoming study on employment insurance. We have commitments from some officials to come and provide us with a briefing on Thursday. Given that EI is vast and that the officials will be with us, I'm in your hands as to whether we stick with our normal five minutes of opening statements, or whether you would like something where they do more talking and we ask fewer questions in terms of getting background.
I wanted to test the waters here to see whether there is any appetite for requesting a presentation of longer than five minutes for them, or whether for this meeting we'll stick with the routine motions that we've adopted, as we have for all others.
6:05 p.m.
Conservative
6:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sean Casey
Okay. We have a speakers list.
I'm going to give the floor to Mr. Vis.
Mr. Vis, go ahead.
6:05 p.m.
Conservative
Brad Vis Conservative Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Generally speaking—and I'm not going to speak for my colleagues on the committee—five minutes seems to be substantive. I think the government officials who appear are welcome to provide further commentary in both official languages in advance that we can read and respond to in our questioning.
6:05 p.m.
Bloc
Louise Chabot Bloc Thérèse-De Blainville, QC
Are you able to tell us how many people there would be? In any case, I would be in favour of keeping the five minutes, even if the speaking notes have to be more focused. During our question period, we could supplement the testimony by asking questions of the witnesses.
6:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sean Casey
Ms. Chabot, perhaps the clerk could answer this question.
How many witnesses do we expect to have for the first meeting, Madam Clerk?
6:05 p.m.
The Clerk
There will be at least four witnesses, maybe five.
6:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sean Casey
However, it is likely that only one person will take the floor to represent their organization.