Evidence of meeting #1 for Pay Equity in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Anita Vandenbeld
We've passed all of the motions on the page except for the one on the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, which is the second one.
If somebody wishes to put that motion, I would entertain that motion. Then there can be debate on that motion. If nobody wishes to put the motion, that's also okay. It depends on the will of the committee.
Mr. Sheehan.
March 7th, 2016 / 5:45 p.m.
Liberal
Terry Sheehan Liberal Sault Ste. Marie, ON
On the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, Madam Chair, I'll put it forward for discussion. I'm going to read it and move it. That way, we can have a discussion. I move:
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be established and composed of the Chair, the two Vice-Chairs and two members of the government party to be designated by the Whip; and that the Chair of the Committee be the Chair of the Subcommittee.
Did you want me to put reasoning with that as well?
5:50 p.m.
Liberal
Terry Sheehan Liberal Sault Ste. Marie, ON
There's a reason that I'm motivating this and putting it there. I understand the honourable member's points in the discussion. I think those are very admirable, but I think we also need to have it there just in case. We may not use it, but if it's there, we have the opportunity to use it if need be. If we do not support this now and we go and do our work and come to a point where this subcommittee would be very useful, then it won't be there.
I think it's good to have. If we don't use it, that's fine, but if we do find that we need to use it, then there we go. I think it's a win-win.
5:50 p.m.
Conservative
Marilyn Gladu Conservative Sarnia—Lambton, ON
I can go either way on this one, but I would share my brief experience as chair of the status of women committee, where we did go ahead and create a subcommittee and we did have a meeting. What we found was that when we brought it back to be ratified, there was a disagreement on support of the steering committee anyway, so we ended up deciding that it just put in an extra step, because we wanted to have the full discussion.
The other thing is that I don't think there is anything that precludes you in the future from appointing a subcommittee if you decide you need one. That's something to keep in mind as well.
5:50 p.m.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
To the good members, I'm glad you brought it up for discussion. Really, it may make sense in certain committees. I get the sense from the discussion in the House that we're all in agreement on the subject and that we're here for much the same reason, which is how we can improve in these things.
Also, we have very limited time. As my colleague suggested, you can add this at any time. If the government side feels at any point they need to take a step back and install a subcommittee because maybe things are getting acrimonious, I would totally understand that. I would simply suggest that from the discussion I've had so far with my colleagues from the Conservatives, we're looking very much at serving on this committee and working with all sides.
5:50 p.m.
Liberal
Julie Dzerowicz Liberal Davenport, ON
Madam Chair, I very much appreciate the comments made by members on the opposite side. Because I'm anxious and excited to delve into the meat of the issues moving forward, I would rather get all the administrative items out of the way now.
My preference would be to agree with my colleague Terry and vote to allow the subcommittee to exist. We may decide not to use it, but I'd like to deal with all the administrative details at this meeting. Then we can move on to what we're really here to do.
5:50 p.m.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
I don't want to belabour the point, but what we mean when we say let's create a subcommittee is that, before every one of our meetings or before we come here to plan out a schedule, there will be two or three people meeting to discuss what the schedule should be and then bring it back to a meeting to be ratified.
I'm not sure whether the parliamentary secretary is going to be doing this, but a number of people end up having to add extra time. If we're all going to be working together, then as I said earlier, not having a committee just means that we decide here, and that's one less meeting for everyone.
However, I'm very happy to report to everyone that I would not be on the subcommittee, if there were one, so it would not be my time and energy; it would be the chair's and the vice-chairs' respectively, and that of some government members.
For me, it's whatever the committee is comfortable with. I just think that if we install a committee right now, then it has to meet, and whether that works or not, I'll leave it up to them.
5:50 p.m.
Liberal
Terry Sheehan Liberal Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Thank you very much.
The purpose of introducing this motion is to have it there. We don't have to use it if we don't need it, but it's there. It's just one more tool in the tool box.
I agree that the work ahead of us is of extreme importance and that we have a very short time frame. We have an aggressive agenda and schedule and we're all committed to working together on this going forward.
I say again that the reason for putting it forward with the others this evening is to get it done and over with. Let's move on. It's just a tool in the tool box, if we need to look at it in the future.
5:50 p.m.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
Madam Chair, I don't think anyone will be opposed to this going forward. I'm fine with it, as long as the group is, so I don't think we need to vote.
5:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Anita Vandenbeld
Seeing no objections, I declare the motion carried.
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings]
Mr. Albas.
5:55 p.m.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
Again, Madam Chair, I appreciate that everyone has a different workload, schedule, and whatnot. What might be helpful at this point is that, when the subcommittee meets, it perhaps look at another special committee that was formed in the 41st Parliament. The Special Committee on Violence Against Indigenous Women set out almost at the beginning a very simple schedule that gave members a lot of certainty. We can basically plan the time between now and when we wrap up our duties in June in such a way that we all have that certainty. I would be very much in favour of our representative agreeing to a solid work plan.
I'm not saying it's the only plan, Madam Chair; I'm simply pointing out that, given the short-term nature of this committee, it's very possible and would allow the clerk and the analysts plenty of time to make sure that we have enough witnesses and can plan out our work between now and June. Then maybe that committee will only have to meet once.
5:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Anita Vandenbeld
Is there any other committee business we wish to discuss, or perhaps the timing of our next meeting, which hasn't been established?
Ms. Dzerowicz.
5:55 p.m.
Liberal
Julie Dzerowicz Liberal Davenport, ON
I'm actually a very shy person, Madam Chair, so this is a little bit out of order for me.
Recognizing that we have a lot of work to do and that this is a very important topic and we have a short period of time, I also want to recognize that a lot of work and many reports have already been done.
I would like to move that we ask the Library of Parliament to provide a summary. I know there was a 2004 pay equity task force, as well as recommendations, and I know there have been several reports since then over the last 10 years. I would love to get a summary of those reports, if we can.
I'd also like to move that we get a presentation on them at our next meeting and have a chance to ask some questions.
Because we have to move with haste, I'd like to propose that we meet this Wednesday evening, if the committee agrees, from 5:30 to 7:30 and spend the first hour on a presentation of what work has already been done. In the second hour maybe we could look at suggesting the first two or three witnesses we might want to hear from.
I'd like to move all of that, Madam Chair.
5:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Anita Vandenbeld
Would you like to phrase the motion so that everyone is clear on exactly what the elements of that motion are?
5:55 p.m.
Liberal
Julie Dzerowicz Liberal Davenport, ON
Absolutely. I move three things. First, I move that the Library of Parliament provide a summary of the 2004 pay equity task force work and recommendations, in addition to a summary of all the reports that have been done on this topic, pay equity, over the last 10 years. The second part of the motion is that we have our next meeting this Wednesday evening from 5:30 to 7:30. Third, I move that in the first hour of the meeting we get the summary presentation of all the reports on pay equity and in the second hour we have a discussion about the first two to three witnesses we would like to entertain.
5:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Anita Vandenbeld
Is there any debate on that motion?
I have Ms. Gladu first, and then Mr. Albas.
5:55 p.m.
Conservative
Marilyn Gladu Conservative Sarnia—Lambton, ON
I have a couple of comments. I don't disagree with getting all the information from the library analysts, but I will tell you that I looked at the 2004 report. It's 400 pages long with a lot of recommendations in it. Five hundred, yes.... Thanks for the correction.
I think it is a lot to look at in a day and come back and ask questions. I think we need longer than that, not to mention the fact that I am co-chairing the Parliamentary rail caucus, which meets with all members of Parliament at 7 o'clock on Wednesday night.
5:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Anita Vandenbeld
As the chair, I have information from the library that even if they did the research tomorrow, they would not be able to have it translated by Wednesday, unless it were just a summary of the report.