Status of Women Committee on Nov. 14th, 2007

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

Madam Chair, I understand what's being said. However, although it hasn't always succeeded, most of the time this committee has tried to work on consensus, because of the nature of the work that we do, and we have not ever used a subcommittee. We agreed the last time that we would not use a subcommittee. I'm not quite sure what the point of it would be. As soon as you put something there, then you start using it and then you start moving away from what I would consider a consensus approach to this committee. I think this committee works best when it works around the table. We've made some really good decisions. I would hate for us to move away from that. I quite frankly don't support leaving it in. I think we should leave the issue of the subcommittee out altogether, as we did in the past.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Ms. Mathyssen.

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

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I would like to support Ms. Minna and indicate that I too prefer to have issues come before the entire committee.

I also wanted to point out, in reference to the motion from the Conservative Party, that in 1985 the McGrath committee recommended that PAs be removed from steering committees and from committee. The whole idea was that committees have to be independent. This motion runs counter to the idea and ideal of the independence of committees, so I would not be happy with it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Madam Demers.

[Nicole Demers]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I also agree with Ms. Minna. In the past, we have always tried to adopt a non-partisan approach. This was always helpful, even if we do not always share the same ideas or objectives. When we deal with issues that concern 52% of the population, it is very good if we can agree, at least in this place, about what we must discuss and how we go about it. So far, there has never been a problem. We have always agreed about the issues we want to debate, the witnesses we want to hear and the procedure we want to follow. So far, we have never noticed a problem. Therefore, I do not see why we should have such a committee, if we want to be efficient. That committee will simply decrease our efficiency.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Does anybody else want to comment?

Do I hear a consensus to remove the subcommittee on agenda and procedure—or not to create it at all? We never had it. So that's done.

The next one I have is on reduced quorum. You have it in front of you.

Are we agreed?

Yes, Ms. Davidson.

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Excuse me, Madam Chair, but I think the other sheet of things that Mr. Stanton gave you, which is being copied, addresses these things. Perhaps people should wait until they have it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

So you have an amendment to the reduced quorum as well.

Oui.

[Nicole Demers]

Madam Chair, with your permission, while we are waiting for the documents, I would like to introduce the colleague who will be coming with me to the committee, Ève-Mary Thaï Thi Lac. She will be sitting on the Standing Committee on the Status of Women. Joanne, my other colleague, will be sitting on the Committee on Justice and Human Rights. I will be pleased to work with Ève-Mary, just as all of you will.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Thank you. Welcome.

[Nicole Demers]

I would also like to tell you, Madam Chair, that Ms. Margot, who is our assistant today, became a grandmother yesterday. Her son had a beautiful baby, a girl weighing nine pounds and three ounces. She is big.

[Some hon. members]

Congratulations.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Committee members, I have a suggestion from the clerk. Because we see that there are amendments to just about everything in the routine motions, is it possible to take them and read them so that we can have an intelligent discussion at the next meeting?

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

It would be when, Madam Chair? Will it be Monday at 3:30?

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Yes.

And if you could send an electronic version, the members who are missing will receive it.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Okay. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Is it agreed?

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Yes. I think it's a good idea for all of us.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

So that you don't think you're ready to adjourn, can we discuss what we would like to do in the future as a committee?

[The Clerk]

Our researcher has prepared what could be discussed in the future, but this has not been distributed to members yet. We could send it electronically and you could discuss it after that on Monday, because they don't have it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Okay.

What I would like to do is get the researchers to speak for a few minutes, because they can tell you that this is nothing new. We had discussed in June what we wanted to do going forward, and perhaps they can give us a little brief on what it was that we discussed. Sometimes we forget what we have discussed in June. Perhaps they can send us something electronically and we can then put the meat on the bones at the next meeting. Okay?

Why don't I give the researchers a few minutes to speak.

Go ahead.

[Clara Morgan, Committee Researcher]

In June 2007 the members of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women suggested possible areas for future study. I present these in a short document entitled, “Suggested Studies for Future Business”. I also added in routine activities such as supplementary estimates, government responses, and the departmental performance report. The clerk will distribute this tomorrow.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Okay. You will get it electronically.

Is there any other business?

Oui, Madame Demers.

[Nicole Demers]

Madam Chair, I have a motion, but I do not know where to introduce it. I intend to table a motion requiring that we, the members around this table, no longer be allowed to use our BlackBerries while we are questioning witnesses. It is all right for our assistants to use them, but not for us. We must be respectful toward the witnesses.

Those who want to use them can go somewhere else. Last year, while we were questioning witnesses, a few unfortunate incidents occurred. People told us afterwards that they had felt uneasy because they did not think that they were being listened to. I do not want that to happen again.

I do not know how to table this motion or when to table it. Should I table it in connection with the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure?

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

I think it could be a general motion and you can word it and send to the clerk, and then we can discuss it. We have discussed in the past that we have to be respectful towards people who come. In the spirit of being respectful, we can discuss that motion, I'm sure, when it comes to us. Fair enough?

Is there any other business?

Monday is going to be a busy day.

This meeting is adjourned.