Evidence of meeting #43 for Status of Women in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was women.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
I discussed this, as I do with the clerk when there is a question of protocol. The clerk has informed me that the item on the agenda is committee business, which is anything to do with the committee. So your motion is in order to be discussed now.
I did not think it was in order, but the clerk has so informed me.
Conservative
Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
Madam Chair, a point of order.
I appreciate that we can be looking at the motion, given the ruling of the clerk, but I also have a motion on the table, so I'm just wondering about the order for discussion.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
There is something to do again with bringing a motion, to revoke a motion that has been voted on already, and I think it requires unanimous consent for that motion to stand.
I was reading the new rules today in that big thick green book we got. I may have misinterpreted it, so I will ask the clerk to give me some advice on this in a minute when she comes to sit down.
Conservative
Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
I would suggest it's not a revoking, because if it is, indeed, a revoking of a motion—
Conservative
Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
--then we had revoked a motion already in place.
Liberal
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
How people voted was registered, but not the dissent on the motion being tabled. When the motion was tabled, there was nobody who said the motion had no right to be tabled at the time.
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Yes, the clerk will tell us about that.
We were talking about having read the new rules, and if there's a motion that had already been subjected to a vote, and a motion is requiring that that vote be overturned, you need unanimous consent of the committee to even bring the motion forward. Under the new rules, I read that.
Is that right? Is it not?
The Clerk of the Committee Ms. Angela Crandall
The motion is a new motion. They have decided on it, but basically she said notwithstanding the motion adopted on a certain date. So that, in effect, is discharging the previous motion, if the new motion is adopted. And because we were under committee business...
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Okay.
What do we do in terms of the order of the two motions? Ms. Neville tabled hers.
Do you all have copies of Ms. McLeod's original motion?
Cathy, do you have a copy of it with you?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
I have a copy of the motion. I'll read it for you.
Notice of motion from Ms. McLeod:
That, notwithstanding the motion adopted by the Committee on Thursday, October 29, 2009, that the Committee prioritize the study on non-traditional work, and that the pension study be postponed until next year.
Did you wish me to read it in French, Monsieur Desnoyers? No?
Bloc
Nicole Demers Bloc Laval, QC
Madam Chair, I would appreciate it if you would read it in French. That way we can't be accused of not providing the French version.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
The motion reads as follows:
Que, nonobstant la motion qu’il a adoptée le jeudi 29 octobre 2009, le Comité accorde la priorité à l’étude des professions non traditionnelles, et que l’étude des pensions soit reportée à l’année prochaine.
Ms. McLeod, would you like to speak? If we don't have debate on the motion, we will call the vote.
Ms. McLeod.
Conservative
Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I think if you recall at the very start of this year, we went through a really comprehensive and quite reasonable process to decide the focus of our committee. I was so pleased at that time, and I remember Madam Neville saying, “You know what? I think we could come to some conciliation, and perhaps we can do both studies at once.” I thought it was our committee really trying to work together and move down a really good path, in terms of our study, and trying to meet the priorities of all the groups. To me that was a highlight at the start of our committee. This was a really important subject, and I see that it was—
Conservative
Dave Van Kesteren Conservative Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON
A point of order, Madam Chair. I'm sorry.
Are we in camera?
Liberal
Conservative
Conservative
Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
We sort of chose to look at one subject only. That was not unanimously agreed to, but it was passed, so we chose to focus on one area.
Since that time, there are a few things that have come to light. One is certainly the release of the Liberal pink book, which really highlighted the importance of the work we are doing in terms of women in non-traditional occupations, and also understanding that the triennial review on pensions has taken place and has already been implemented in the economic recovery.
So from my perspective, in spite of the fact that we had shifted our focus slightly, given the release of your book and some new factors that came to light as we went through our pension study, it's really appropriate that we maybe shift our focus.
Thank you.