Human Resources Committee on May 25th, 2021

[Annette Gibbons]

There are a couple of things that come to mind. Certainly, the things that we're doing under the new horizons for seniors program and the new age well at home initiative will be looking at supports—though perhaps not dealing with PTSD. There were some measures in the budget, as well, under Health Canada that deal with mental health supports to Canadians. Of course, the government did introduce some measures during the pandemic, and there are other measures in the budget.

I certainly would encourage you to, perhaps, invite Health Canada for further discussions on that as we're not really in a position.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Thank you, Ms. Gazan.

Ms. Gibbons, Ms. Goulding and Mr. Conrad, thank you so much for being with us and for your answers to our questions. They will, undoubtedly, be extremely valuable in putting together a report for government. We very much appreciate your service to your country and to government and the professional and patient way that you've carried yourselves today. Thank you so much.

I have one brief question for my colleagues.

Witnesses, thanks. You're free to go if you wish.

Colleagues, when we meet on Thursday, we will have Romy Bowers as the only witness. She has asked that she be afforded some flexibility with respect to her opening statement. It presently runs about eight minutes long. Is there any objection to giving her eight or nine minutes for her opening statement? If there is, we'll tell her that she has to cut it down. Is there any problem with that?

Very well. If that's the case, that concludes the business for today. Do we have consent to...?

Ms. Dancho, go ahead.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

I just have a quick question about committee business for Thursday.

Were we not supposed to have the rapid housing strategy discussion that day? I was surprised to see committee business. I thought we had rapid housing that day. Could you just clarify?

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

No, I don't recall any agreement to have rapid housing. We wanted to get Ms. Bowers on as soon as possible, and this is what her schedule permitted. Her schedule only permits 90 minutes, and we do have some things to clear up in the other 30. I can tell you what is on my list.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Sure.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

We still need to settle the budget for this particular study. We need to settle the question of honorariums and gifts for witnesses. We need to settle on the amount and the date for the Centennial Flame Research Award. I think that is it.

Those will be the things that will take that first half-hour to cover, and then we have an hour and a half with Romy Bowers.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

The only reason I ask is that when we originally talked about it, we were going to have the rapid housing update in the same meeting as Romy Bowers. Maybe that wasn't confirmed, but I know that was discussed. I thought that was what was happening, but you're saying that that's not the case.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

No, that isn't the case. My understanding is that we were going to have a full meeting with Ms. Bowers, but we can only get an hour and half, so no, that isn't consistent with my recollection. However, I'm happy to continue this discussion to see when we can get rapid housing slotted in. The Bowers thing was kind of time sensitive, because under the order in council, we only have until the end of May.

Do we have consensus to adjourn?

[Brad Vis, Conservative, Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC]

Mr. Chair, on that point, if possible, would it not make more sense to have CMHC officials here at the same time on Thursday—that was my recollection too—to continue after Ms. Bowers' testimony and provide an update on the RHI? It doesn't have to be her directly, but generally that program goes through CMHC. That was the rationale behind it in our previous committee business discussions. That's all.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

That makes eminent sense. Leave that with me. It makes a ton of sense that we arrange for.... We'll see if we can secure officials to speak to rapid housing at the meeting to deal with her appointment. We'll do our best.

[Brad Vis, Conservative, Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Is there any other business? Do we have consensus to adjourn?

Ms. Dancho, I'm sorry for the confusion. Now that Mr. Vis has stated it this way, it aligns with my recollection. I had a cramp, I guess.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

It's no problem.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

I believe I see consensus.

We are adjourned. We'll see you Thursday. Thank you, colleagues.