Evidence of meeting #29 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was families.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Pregnancy, Infant & Child Loss Support Centre
Thank you. That's a very big question because it's an ebb and flow.
The first piece of this is to create less red tape, so that's creating a plan that people can access online so they're not having to retell their story. It's about some way so that the cases are clear. A lot of our clients don't want to be talking to people on the phone. They don't want to have to leave their home. It's about creating a way that makes sense for people, so they can access this in a way that is less stressful and that provides some fluidity for them.
Registered Nurse, As an Individual
I'd like to second that.
If you had that nine-month parental leave and were able to break it up in some way, there could be a benefit to that, but if you're calling in to constantly tell three or four people and the institutions this, it could make matters worse.
I don't know. It's a really cool idea. I just don't know about the implementation of that yet.
Executive Director, Les Perséides, soutien au deuil périnatal
I completely agree. As was mentioned, grief isn't linear, so providing some flexibility is a must. It's also important to humanize the experience, by cutting out a lot of the red tape. It's quite burdensome for parents who have little energy to give as it is. That, too, is a must.
Liberal
As an Individual
I will reiterate that it's about reducing the red tape. As I mentioned with respect to the death certificate, it's about making it a seamless system for parents, instead of them having to navigate different websites and organizations. Putting it all in one portal, I think, would make it much easier.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Thank you.
Thank you to the witnesses for their compelling, heartfelt testimony today.
Committee members, stay here for a moment. I have two administrative items I need to deal with.
Witnesses, you can log out, as you choose.
Committee members, I should have raised this earlier. When the motion for this study was adopted, the clerk prepared for this the budget. Given that we have heard difficult testimony over the course of this study and that it may have been challenging for some to give this testimony—this is for witnesses, as well—are colleagues amenable to allowing the witnesses who appeared to access mental health supports, as well as members of the committee staff? As you can see, we had to replace some. This was in the budget.
With that, I would need the following motion adopted:
That, in relation to the study on Bill C-222, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (death of a child), the committee offer mental health support to the witnesses, and that the clerk be authorized to make the necessary arrangements, if requested.
Do we have agreement?
Conservative
Laila Goodridge Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB
I have one question.
I think this is a great idea. When we are embarking on a study that is clearly about dead children, this should be a conversation we have at the outset. Can the clerks and analysts make a note for the next time we deal with something like this? It is a conversation that should very clearly be at the front end, so people have trauma-informed practices. I believe it would be a much better space. In the same way, I believe that an opening statement at these committee meetings, when we are studying something so traumatic, should have a trauma warning, because it might be something people would just tune out if they knew.
I would ask to have those pieces for next time. Thank you.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Is it the will of the committee to adopt the motion and notify, for those who wish, that services will be available? Do I have consensus?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
I have one final item dealing with clause-by-clause consideration.
Before we adjourn today's meeting, I was wondering if committee members wanted to set a date for clause-by-clause consideration of this bill. I propose April 13 for the clause-by-clause consideration and that all amendments to the bill be sent in by noon on Thursday, April 9, 2026.
Time is of the essence. We've been hearing that clearly. Is it the will of the committee to adopt those dates for amendments?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
We have agreement of the committee members that April 13 will be the committee meeting for clause-by-clause, meaning that April 9, at noon, will be the timeline for any amendments to be proposed.
With that, thank you so much, committee members.
Ms. Goodridge, you were right. This was a very sensitive meeting and difficult for some. Thank you.
Is it the will of the committee to adjourn?
