Subcommittee on Neurological Disease Committee on Feb. 16th, 2011

[Carol Hughes, NDP, Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON]

The question is whether they will have enough time.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tim Uppal]

Well, it's the committee's will. It can decide to have time.

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Why don't we put a motion forth to ask if it is willing to take that time?

[Sonya Norris]

As we were just discussing earlier, the minister is coming on the March 10.

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

I just think we should put a motion forth and ask if we can get this reviewed here. We've done a lot of work, and I think it's incumbent upon us to ask the health committee to take a look at that work.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tim Uppal]

Go ahead, Mr. Malo.

[Luc Malo, Bloc, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

In that case, let's go with the 9th, after the voting at 7 p.m. We can work until 11 p.m. and give the analysts time to do their work. The main committee can then consider the report on the 22nd. The subcommittee could always meet again on the 10th —or on the 11th since the Friday is also a possible day for a meeting— to ensure that the analysts have indeed respected the spirit of the subcommittee's work.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tim Uppal]

With that plan, you are assuming that the health committee would be okay with dealing with it on March 22. You would have to convince your colleagues to do so, and I don't know what.... What was the study for March 22? Does anybody remember? I'm sure we have it somewhere. It was on drug shortages.

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

There are four of us here who can all make that argument.

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

I think that is a very good idea.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tim Uppal]

Drug shortages was presented by the NDP just so.... Ms. Leslie had brought that forward.

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

Maybe we should bounce everything back by one day. What we suggest is not to put drug shortages off the agenda, just to....

[Carol Hughes, NDP, Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON]

We can ask them. I don't know what the position will be of the delegate there.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tim Uppal]

I suppose the process would be to bring a motion forward. It's up to the members to discuss this with their colleagues and have that motion to change the schedule at the next health meeting.

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Would you be comfortable with my putting forward a motion? We can get it drafted today. Is there consensus?

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

Hopefully this is all for naught, and we've been better safe than sorry.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tim Uppal]

Just to add to the procedural issues here, a motion drafted today would not be 48 hours in advance of the meeting tomorrow, so you would need unanimous consent tomorrow to look at the motion, so I think what you're going to do is to ask for unanimous consent tomorrow to bring this motion forward. That will be procedurally correct.

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

I think the chair will do it in a very nice way, so....

[The Chair, Conservative, Tim Uppal]

What we have agreed to, then, is a meeting on Wednesday, March 9, from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., to consider the draft report.

Mr. Malo mentioned something about meeting again on March 10. Was that just a suggestion?

[Luc Malo, Bloc, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

We'll see if that's necessary, after our meeting on the 9th. Things might go very well, but then again, there may be problems. We have no idea right now how things will go.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tim Uppal]

That's fair. We will leave it until then.

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

I think we have a lot of common values on this. I don't think it will be too difficult to put together. I don't think the analyst will be here until 11:00, but we should prepare as if it will last that long.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tim Uppal]

Is there something over here?

[Karin Phillips]

We just wanted to know if you guys wanted to have a meeting on March 2. The testimony wouldn't be able to be included in the report, but....

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

We've done this all together, so I think it's better that we don't do March 2 if Kirsty is not here.