Human Resources Committee on Feb. 8th, 2024

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you, Ms. Falk.

Mr. Long, go ahead on the subamendment.

[Wayne Long, Liberal, Saint John—Rothesay, NB]

The list that MP Gray has submitted for the study is quite a list. I mean, we're talking two meetings here, right?

I just want to make the point, too, that the minister was just here. I don't believe there were any questions asked of the minister.

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

[Inaudible—Editor]

[Wayne Long, Liberal, Saint John—Rothesay, NB]

I just want to make the point that the minister was here, and I don't believe there were any questions asked. I guess we'd be okay with it, but I just want to make that point.

Again, we're saying that it would be no less than two meetings, but with that list alone.... How many people are on it?

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Three.

[Wayne Long, Liberal, Saint John—Rothesay, NB]

Three? That's it? Can we take a look at that?

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

It cannot be circulated, because it's in English only. You have the verbal list.

I will ask the clerk to identify who the subamendment wants to invite.

[The Clerk]

I have it in English only.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

The clerk has it in English only, so we cannot circulate it. I would ask her to just confirm to the committee who the subamendment wants to invite.

Go ahead, Madam Clerk, and then we'll go to Ms. Falk.

[The Clerk]

The subamendment states, “the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disability, the Auditor General of Canada, Canada's chief accessibility officer, Canada's accessibility commissioner, disability advocates and federally regulated industry representatives”.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Ms. Falk.

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I just want to point out to MP Long—through you, Mr. Chair, obviously—that when we brought the motion forward for the ministers to come, we requested each minister for an hour and their department for an hour. It was the Liberals who decided to mush all the ministers together to give less time for questions and accountability.

This subamendment was based on MP Fragiskatos's idea of having three meetings. That's why there are these people. We can absolutely amend it to three meetings. I think this issue is imperative and that all Canadians—disability or non-disability, it doesn't matter—should be and must be treated with dignity and respect. I think this committee can absolutely offer that time to make sure this is something that we're continuing to achieve.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Mr. Fragiskatos, on the subamendment.

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, London North Centre, ON]

I think we've reached a reasonable place, Mr. Chair. I look forward to the testimony. I think we should go ahead and vote.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

I see no further discussion on the subamendment of Ms. Gray.

Ms. Gray, on your subamendment.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Just to be clear, the subamendment that was circulated did have three meetings, but we had just previously agreed to two. That's why—

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

It's in order.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Yes, it's all in order, so I just want to be clear that I wasn't saying.... It was just that we had all agreed as a committee to two, although my original subamendment, which was circulated to everyone, actually said three.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Okay.

Seeing no further discussion, I'm going to ask the clerk to call a recorded vote on the subamendment of Ms. Gray.

(Subamendment agreed to: yeas 11; nays 0 [See Minutes of Proceedings])

Seeing no further discussion, we'll go to the main motion as amended. Is everybody clear on the main motion?

Madame Chabot, do you have your hand up?

[Louise Chabot, Bloc, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

I am ready to vote, Mr. Chair, but I definitely want the new wording of the motion, with all the proposed amendments, to be sent to us afterwards, at the very least, so that it's clear.

With that, we can go to a vote, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you, Madame Chabot. It is being translated and will be circulated shortly, but it is in order.

It was verbal. Seeing that, I call a recorded vote on the amendment by Mr. Fragiskatos as amended.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Mr. Chair, can we read out exactly what we're voting for just so that it's clear to all members?

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

That's a good idea. Thank you. I was going to go there too.

Madam Clerk, could you read slowly the amendment of Mr. Fragiskatos as amended?

[Wayne Long, Liberal, Saint John—Rothesay, NB]

Do you need a minute? We can take a second here.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Okay, committee members, may I have your attention? The clerk will read the amendment of Mr. Fragiskatos as amended.