Status of Women Committee on Feb. 20th, 2007

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

I will let Ms. Guergis speak, and then we'll see what the will of the committee is.

Every committee has different ways of doing things, and there are people who urgently need to go somewhere. We'll hear some viewpoints and come to a conclusion.

Ms. Guergis.

[Helena Guergis, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Thank you very much.

I know many of us around the table can multi-task. I know we do it on a regular basis. Since coming here in 2004, I followed the lead of other members when I first got here, recognizing the busy schedules we have.

As a Secretary of State, it would now be completely impossible for me to not look to my BlackBerry at some point. Unfortunately, I'm going to continue to have to do that because I have other responsibilities. I can assure you I can multi-task. I listen very intently and understand the conversation going on around the table. But I really don't think anyone around here should be policing any other MPs as to what they do with their BlackBerrys.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Ms. Smith, and then Madam Deschamps.

After Madam Deschamps, it's Ms. Mathyssen, and then Ms. Minna.

Ms. Smith.

[Joy Smith, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Yes, I understand what Madam Demers is saying. We need to be respectful. But on being members of Parliament and not being able to take messages or deal with things, we can multi-task. I agree with Ms. Guergis that we're not here to please other MPs.

I think we always have to be very mindful of the witnesses and very courteous to the witnesses. But I'm sure the witnesses understand the responsibilities we have as members of Parliament.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

I don't think anybody is suggesting that you listen to another MP. I guess the general thrust is how we should behave so that the witness realizes we are respectful.

If we're going to be on BlackBerrys for 90% of the time, we should be mindful of that. But if we're not going to be on BlackBerrys 90% of the time and we have to check suddenly, I'm sure we can leave to do so.

Oui.

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

Madam Chair, I did not want to make a big to-do about this. When witnesses are here and they realize what is going on, they are embarrassed, and when they talk to us about it afterwards, it is embarrassing for us. If people do this discreetly — and some do —, then that does not bother me. And if people are doing this now, then that does not bother me either, because we are just amongst ourselves.

That is the only thing I wanted to say. It is simply out of respect for those who come to appear before us and who see our behaviour here as MPs. After all, we are their representatives in the House.

That is all I had to say, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Thank you.

Madam Deschamps, do you want to add anything?

[Johanne Deschamps, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

I would like to add a comment with regard to the technology we use. When these BlackBerrys go off or signal that there is a message, the interpreters often tell us that they are unable to do their work because of the interference caused. It therefore often happens that I miss out on information.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Ms. Mathyssen.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I think Madam Demers' point on the respect we show to witnesses is very important. I would suggest we maintain that balance.

If something is so urgent that it requires undivided attention, perhaps members should feel free to leave so as not to undermine the importance of the witness testimony. I wouldn't want an MP to be so engaged in his or her BlackBerry that he or she missed a vote or didn't know what was going on. It would be clearly disrespectful.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Thank you.

Ms. Minna.

[Maria Minna, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

I understand Ms. Demers' concern with respect to when witnesses are here and what it looks like. We could certainly try to be a little less active about it.

There are discreet ways of using it, if you have to check to see if it buzzes in case there's an emergency or anything, and maybe we could be aware of that. I think we're all professional people and we should be able to deal with it.

The only other thing I wanted to say, Madam Chair, goes back for a second to what Madam Smith said earlier with respect to the study, the broader economic study. I think she said migrant workers and the disabled.

The subject of migrant workers is a huge study on its own. I'm not sure I'd want to put it with women's economic security because it's Canadian women and the economic security of Canadian women. The subject of migrant workers is an altogether different bailiwick. I'm not talking about Canadian citizens who are here and who are affected by ongoing day-to-day Canadian lives. It's completely different, and I think it might be a different study.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Could I have Ms. Neville and then Ms. Smith?

Go ahead, Ms. Neville.

[Anita Neville, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

I'm repeating what's been said, Madam Chair. I'm guilty. I've used the BlackBerry, and when I think of what I've done, probably some of it could have waited until after the meeting.

I think there is a level, and I've certainly heard witnesses say that we didn't even listen to them, that we were on our BlackBerrys. I think we have to be mindful of it and try to maintain some kind of balance.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

On the issue of BlackBerrys, we are all adults, we are professionals, and we know when to draw the line. I would ask all members to respect and keep a balance. We won't bring the subject up again.

Thank you.

On the issue of the economic security of women and the addition of migrant workers and the disabled, Ms. Minna is concerned about migrant workers taking a whole chunk out and being totally different; it's like comparing apples to pears.

We'll hear your viewpoint, Ms. Smith.

[Joy Smith, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

All these were listed as things we should look at. Now we're having a discussion as to the timeframe we have and what we can cover during that timeframe. Migrant workers were a huge part of the discussion, initially.

Madam Chair, could I please have your attention?

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

I'm listening to you, but I'm multi-tasking.

[Joy Smith, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

You're multi-tasking. I knew that.

This certainly is open for discussion. I know the topic of migrant workers is a huge discussion we had at the beginning. It's something we wanted to look at in the textile industry and in all these kinds of things. But we have I think 13 weeks. Maybe what we need to do is narrow it down. I do not want to miss the single moms.

[Maria Minna, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Everything stays--the disabled, single moms, any permanent Canadian resident--that the issue affects. It's just that the migrant worker is in and out and a bit different.

[Joy Smith, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

I can understand that, and I agree. I would agree to that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

We'll go to Ms. Guergis.

[Helena Guergis, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

I just want to support Ms. Minna and her comments. That was my understanding. We had decided on two courses of study and had decided to go with human trafficking and to pick up the other we had already identified. That was how we wanted it to look. That's my preferred choice.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Fair enough.

The minutes will reflect that we are putting migrant women aside, but we're including the disabled, single moms, and so on.

Is there any other business?

Oui, Madame.

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

Since the women who would be appearing would not have the benefit of anonymity, we could at least hear them in private. Some employees of Parliament have working conditions that will not even afford them financial security in their older years. These women sometimes come to me to talk. Two of them would very much like to appear before the committee, but they are obviously afraid of losing their job. Indeed, if a person appears before a committee, he or she has no assurance that his or her job will still be there afterwards, especially when one's working conditions are unstable.

I wanted to ask the committee to have these people appear in camera.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

What is the will of the committee?

We are here to protect women in whatever aspect of the workforce they are in.

I am willing to find out the will of the committee. Can we hear witnesses in camera if by not being in camera it jeopardizes their jobs?

Okay, fine. It's agreeable.

The meeting is adjourned.