Evidence of meeting #1 for Medical Assistance in Dying in the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was subcommittee.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Acting Joint Chair Liberal Marc Garneau
Motion 16 deals with linguistic review:
That all documents submitted for committee business that do not come from a federal department, members’ or Senator’s offices, or that have not been translated by the Translation Bureau be sent for prior linguistic review by the Translation Bureau before being distributed to members.
Do I have a mover for the motion?
Liberal
The Joint Chair Hon. Yonah Martin
We have reached the end of the routine motions, everyone.
Bloc
Luc Thériault Bloc Montcalm, QC
Madam Chair, I don't know if this is part of the housekeeping motions, but I sent a notice of motion to the clerks this morning and I wonder if the members of the committee would consent to it.
I have copies that include the English version. The text of the motion proposes that all evidence and documentation received by the Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying in the course of its work on the subject during the second parliamentary session of the 43rd Parliament be considered by the committee during the present session, and that it be published on the committee's website so that members may readily consult it in conducting the current study.
You will remember that there was a session in which we received witnesses. I do not want us to lose what was done before the general election. In my view, it would save time for the committee to pass the motion today.
The clerks already have the text of the motion.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Of course, I completely agree with regard to the testimony we have already heard. It will make us more efficient and save time.
That said, from a technical point of view, Mr. Thériault has not yet met the deadline for moving his motion. However, I think we can pass this motion today if there is unanimous consent. The clerks will be able to confirm if it is possible to do so.
I, for one, agree with Mr. Thériault. I think his proposal is self-evident. If it is not technically possible for us to vote on the motion today, but there is unanimous consent to do so, I suggest that we deal with the motion today.
The Joint Chair Hon. Yonah Martin
Are there any other comments or interventions?
Monsieur Garneau, please go ahead.
Liberal
The Joint Chair Liberal Marc Garneau
Thank you, Senator Martin.
Are we currently doing committee business? If we are, then the 48 hours doesn't apply, in which case the motion can be put forward. Am I misunderstanding something?
The Joint Chair Hon. Yonah Martin
We concluded our routine motions. We had not discussed whether today's committee meeting would conclude with the completion of the motions. Monsieur Thériault has brought forward an additional motion for consideration.
We could continue this meeting, as we're doing; we could decide to go in camera; or we could put this for consideration at the next meeting and conclude today's meeting. I'm not sure what the will of the committee is, at this point, but for this first meeting, we have concluded the business that it was called for.
Go ahead, Dr. Fry, followed by Senator Dalphond.
Liberal
Hedy Fry Liberal Vancouver Centre, BC
In a spirit of co-operation, and given that we have only a short time to finish this report, I suggest we consider the motion and vote on it very quickly. It's a good motion.
Senator, Quebec (De Lorimier), PSG
I agree totally. It's not a substantive motion. It's procedural. It doesn't need 48 hours' notice.
I think there's consensus around the table and on the screen.
The Joint Chair Hon. Yonah Martin
Given that we've come to the end, there seems to be agreement that this is an additional motion we will consider today.
Is it your pleasure to adopt this motion?
(Motion agreed to)
At this time we have concluded, so would members be okay with concluding this meeting today, with the promise of—
Conservative
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
I apologize for interrupting. I just didn't want an adjournment to get ahead of me because of the hybrid format of the meeting.
I understand that there are ongoing discussions between the whips' offices on the House side with respect to scheduling. We do have two weeks of planned constituency time for members on the House side, and I know we have two statutory holidays, namely Good Friday and Easter Monday, along with a number of other religious observances, over the course of the next two-week period. Keeping in mind that those discussions have started and that we've now had this first meeting, I would suggest, respectfully, to our joint chairs that those discussions, in collaboration with the Senate side, proceed. Perhaps over the early days of next week, a tentative calendar can be set, because I also understand that we don't even have a set time for meetings.
As one other thing, if I may, Madam Chair, I would just offer that this issue is supremely important, but due to the nature of hybrid meetings and the situation we find ourselves in as a result of these meetings drawing resources from the House, every hour we sit during sitting weeks takes time away from standing committees. I understand that forms part of that discussion, but I think that it could be detrimental to our collective work as parliamentarians if we moved forward in a direction that undermined our colleagues in both places and displaced other committees and their ability to do their work, their commitments to witnesses and their ability to carry out their studies. Many of them are in the final stages before giving drafting instructions to their analysts and getting reports to the House before the end of June.
Time is very sensitive for all of us, but I would just hope that those discussions can happen at the whip and Senate level. We could then convene once we have a better picture of what that looks like, and proceed with the amount of time we're able to take with the resources that are available.
The Joint Chair Hon. Yonah Martin
Thank you, Mr. Barrett.
I too am aware that we don't yet have an exact time slot for this joint committee. That is being worked out through the whips' offices as we speak. As you said, there are a lot of schedules already created in the next two weeks, and it's a very busy time for parliamentary work.
Let me go to Senator Wallin and then Dr. Fry, and then we can try to conclude for today with a certain understanding.
Bloc
The Joint Chair Hon. Yonah Martin
I will add you to the list, Mr. Thériault.
Go ahead, Senator Wallin.
Senator, Saskatchewan, CSG
Thank you. I want to voice some concerns about our timing as well.
The Senate has been reduced to one committee meeting a week for our committees, so it's crucial that we not miss those. We're all in the same position of cramming before the end of June. What days are even under consideration? With the Senate schedule, I'm thinking that Tuesdays and Wednesdays are almost impossible at this point.
The Joint Chair Hon. Yonah Martin
I know that Monday evenings and potentially Tuesday evenings are what I have heard, but as you said, Tuesdays are very busy for Senators also. Perhaps it comes down to Mondays, but it's not yet set and the whips are discussing it.
We'll go to Dr. Fry, followed by Mr. Thériault.
Liberal
Hedy Fry Liberal Vancouver Centre, BC
I just wanted to say that the whips are discussing it so that, by the end of the two-week break, we will have something to work with. It is my understanding, however, that because of the resources at the House of Commons level, we will not be infringing on any standing committee time. Those are set, and they have resources.
The resources will be decided with a time that the whips will decide on, so I just think that we should follow through and wait until we get the whips telling us what we should do. Let's just kind of wait until then. Now if somebody wanted to meet next week, I hear Wednesday is a good day just to quickly get together to formulate a schedule or something, but if not, I think we should just let the whips do their work because they understand the resources, they understand time and they understand what the good days are.
