Status of Women Committee on June 5th, 2008

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

There's a motion on the table, which is that we ask the clerk to arrange a joint meeting with Justice to express our concern.

Can I have a seconder for that motion? Madame Demers.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Okay, now, Mr. Goldring, you have the floor.

[Peter Goldring, Conservative, Edmonton East, AB]

I wish to comment that obviously this is a very emotional issue, and I want to apologize if I'm somehow saying the wrong words to it and causing any discomfort. But we too have the other side of the issue. This issue stems from a criminal act in my riding, which, with the boundary changes, was taken over by Mr. Epp. I have some personal involvement with people who very much wish to see some form of justice brought forward.

While certainly there are different opinions on this, I feel very strongly that there is also an opinion and an issue that are the basis and essence of why this bill came forward. So I hope we can have a rational discussion on this and try to look at all of the aspects of it fairly and come to a conclusion following this thing.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Thank you, Mr. Goldring.

I think this committee has been very logical about most of its issues, and I hope we'll go forward with it.

Do we still want a meeting on Tuesday, now that we have addressed these motions?

Yes, Mr. Stanton.

[Bruce Stanton, Conservative, Simcoe North, ON]

I do have one question, Madam Chair. In regard to our work plan for the remainder of this session, if we're missing our meeting on Tuesday, we potentially have three meetings left after that. At some point before the end of the session, do we wish to consider some committee business where we look at our work plan? If I recall, when I went back and looked at what the library had for us up to the end of April, we really didn't have anything beyond the completion of the gender budgeting report, which is now done.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

We had the action plan on our list, and the analysts.... And we have the study now.

[Bruce Stanton, Conservative, Simcoe North, ON]

Yes, in regard to the action plan, I don't know that there was consensus. As I recall, Liberal members came to the conclusion that we really didn't have to do that. So we may have to go back and revisit.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

What we had concluded on the action plan was that the analysts be given the responsibility of gathering all the recommendations we have made from the previous reports and bring them forward to the committee so we can look at what are our next steps as we go forward. We didn't want to reinvent the wheel. We didn't want another study. We wanted to see what our recommendations were and how we have fared. That's what we are going to be doing at our next meeting on Thursday. Is it on Thursday?

Can I seek the committee's acceptance that the clerk speak to the justice committee and see if we can get a meeting? I'm hoping the justice committee will meet next week. If we can, we will probably be doing it. You have your Tuesday...the clerks feel they need that time and the analysts feel they need that time to consolidate the report, do a proper concordance, and on Thursday you will have the press release and the tabling of the document. Then we can distribute the action plan that is the total combination of recommendations and work on it the week after. Is that okay?

[Bruce Stanton, Conservative, Simcoe North, ON]

Madam Chair, that's all fine and well, but I wonder if before the session we might, under committee business, at least consider what that work plan looks like even into the fall. It might be a good opportunity for members to discuss what we have in front of us, beyond what's currently sitting there.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

And the clerks are going to submit some ideas on future business as well.

Here is my suggestion. When you get the block of recommendations that we have done from different reports, why don't you as committee members submit ideas for future business?

So that nobody is in any confusion, the recommendations would be submitted to you, and if as committee members you can submit your request for future studies, based on all that we have finished and compiled, by Friday, June 13, then we'll know what we are going to do the next week.

Ms. Mathyssen, did you have your hand up and I ignored you?

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

I know you would never ignore me, Madam Chair.

I was thinking in terms of research that the clerk and our analysts may undertake over the summer, and I'd be very interested in seeing what other countries have done or are doing in regard to action plans. I think that would be very useful to facilitate our discussion and study.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Yes, they have done some work and they'll integrate it. Since you will have all the work they have done so far, you will have the recommendations. You want to move forward. You don't want to reinvent the wheel; you need to see where you were and where you want to move forward to.

Seeing no further business, this meeting is adjourned.