Evidence of meeting #65 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was amendment.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Marie-Hélène Sauvé  Legislative Clerk

10:10 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

That's fine. Thank you, Ms. Gray and Ms. Gazan.

We'll suspend for two minutes.

10:20 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

I think we're good to go.

I'm going to go to Ms. Saks.

Did you have your hand up, Mrs. Gray?

10:20 a.m.

Conservative

Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC

On a point of order, Mr. Chair, this subamendment, I believe, goes against the intent of the bill because it is in fact removing two of the core principles of the bill. The core principles are quality, availability, affordability, accessibility and inclusiveness, and it's removing “availability” and “accessibility”.

I believe this subamendment is out of scope. It should be deemed inadmissible.

10:20 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

I'll suspend for a moment while I consult with the legislative clerk.

10:20 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

Mrs. Gray, the subamendment impacts only the content of the annual report, not the bill itself. It does not impact the bill or its reporting processes.

The subamendment by Ms. Saks is in order and is debatable.

We'll go to Ms. Saks, who had her hand up, on the subamendment, which is in order and is debatable.

10:20 a.m.

Liberal

Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON

Thank you, Chair.

There has been some discussion, as Mr. Godin, Ms. Gazan and Madame Bérubé know. It is always my fervent effort to make sure we find more common ground rather than disagreement here. I'm not sure procedurally how we do it, but perhaps we can do it on unanimous consent.

I'd like to suggest that we put words back in section (b). It should read, “quality, availability, affordability and accessibility” so that those values and principles are part of that paragraph. If we could do it by UC, that would be great, so we can move on with the work of the day.

10:20 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

Before I go to Ms. Ferreri, are you asking to withdraw parts of your...?

10:20 a.m.

Liberal

Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON

I'm asking to put back in “availability” and “accessibility”.

10:20 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

Put them back in.

How was it removed?

10:20 a.m.

Liberal

Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON

In the subamendment that we proposed, the words “availability” and “accessibility” were removed.

10:20 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

Do you want to withdraw phrasing from your subamendment?

10:20 a.m.

Liberal

Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON

No, we're not withdrawing.

We are asking if there is UC here to put in “availability” and “accessibility”.

10:20 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

Are you adding to your subamendment?

10:20 a.m.

Liberal

Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON

I am adding to the subamendment.

10:20 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

Okay, that's fine. It's clarified.

10:20 a.m.

Liberal

Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON

I'm wondering if we could do it as a friendly update, as a UC, rather than belabouring what is clearly an important issue for all of us at this table.

10:20 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

You are asking for unanimous consent to add phrasing to your subamendment.

10:25 a.m.

Liberal

Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON

It would be adding the words “availability” and “accessibility”.

10:25 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

I would like to see that in writing.

We will suspend for a few minutes.

10:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

I call the meeting back to order.

The clerk has received the subamendment of Ms. Saks. All committee members should have it.

We'll return to the discussion on the subamendment of Ms. Saks.

Give me just a moment.

This is where we are. Ms. Saks moved a subamendment and she requested unanimous consent to add additional verbiage, which you now have.

Does Ms. Saks have unanimous consent to add the phrasing to her subamendment, which you now have?

10:35 a.m.

Conservative

Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC

Mr. Chair, can I ask a question, even though we've been asked for unanimous consent?

For clarification, are the point (a) changes that were sent earlier still applicable?

10:35 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

I'm getting it.

10:35 a.m.

Conservative

Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC

What was sent to us wasn't the entirety of the newly revised subamendment. It was just (b), so I wanted to clarify that (a) still holds.

10:35 a.m.

Liberal

Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON

It still holds.

10:35 a.m.

Conservative

Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC

Okay.