Status of Women Committee on March 31st, 2010

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Madam Chair, respectfully, I'd like to--

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Sorry.

Ms. Mathyssen.

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

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I simply wanted to point out that this issue has come up since we made the initial work plan and that it is the practice of this committee to look at things that are topical and of immediate concern. I think this is certainly one of them. I don't believe it will disrupt our overall work plan so significantly that we need to be concerned. By the same token, I think this is important for us to look at.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Mr. Calandra.

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

When do we anticipate doing this study? Are we not already scheduled with the violence against aboriginal women? Have we not already got all the days covered?

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

We don't have the days covered, but we have a work plan that will say that this is what we're going to do. We don't have specific days mapped out. We're still working on the plan because we only recently had visit sites sent to us from our own committee members two days ago.

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

Then in essence we'd be doing this in advance of our study of aboriginal women, and at the conclusion of this, and after we've reviewed this report, you're suggesting that we then go into this. Who knows how long this will take? This could be a difficult one.

We had a motion similar to this in front of Parliament, and Parliament voted in a certain fashion. I'm going to suggest that if we're going to study this, you're probably going to want a heck of a lot of days to hear testimony from a lot of people and you're going to be putting our violence against aboriginal women study on hold until September, because this will not be something that we'll deal with in two hours at one meeting. There will be a whole whack of witnesses who will want to come before this committee.

As a member, if this is what we're going to do, then I'm going to bring a very extensive list of people who should be coming forward. If people want to be heard, if we want to have something done properly....

We're inviting three ministers up here. We're attempting to tell the G-8 how they should do their business; we're attempting to influence how the other world leaders come to a decision with respect to internal health initiatives. If we are going to study this, great, but let's not limit it to one meeting. Let's clear the decks from now until the end of June, do it properly, and have a nice little report prepared for the three ministers who we're bringing in front of this committee in advance of the G-8. Let's do it properly.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Mr. Calandra, thank you. I have a long list of people waiting.

Thank you very much.

I think that usually the process in a committee is that if we agree we will do this.... I did not see the word “study”, so I don't believe that this is a study. I think this is to invite certain people. Quite often what a committee does, if it's going to accept that it will do a particular thing, is it immediately....

I haven't finished speaking, Mr. Calandra.

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

I want my name on the list, if that's okay.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Yes, absolutely.

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

You can certainly continue speaking, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

You had just spoken, so I didn't know you wanted to put your name on the list again immediately.

The bottom line is that there are processes by which this is done. Committee members will decide whether they would like to limit these meetings to two meetings or three meetings. Everyone will suggest names and lists. Then the committee will look at the list in the light of having only three days of meetings, or four days, or whatever the committee decides, and realize that obviously we can't have 500 people, and then pick and choose the ones who will fit into those three days.

This is how committee work is usually done, and this is what I hope we wil be able to decide once we agree on whether we are going to accept this. First we have to agree that we're going to do this and then we're going to decide how we do it. I'm just trying to put it into a logical sequence.

Go ahead, Ms. Brown.

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I question the validity of this study under the Status of Women. My thinking is this: if the minister for CIDA is responsible to create the plan and will present the plan to us, will she not already be doing her own consultation, and are we not, then, in effect duplicating that whole process? In all likelihood we would be inviting many of the same people she would be having her discussions with, which means that we would be paying for witnesses to come to Ottawa, or however we do that. It's time and money that we're looking at duplicating.

Since it comes under her responsibility, why would we not allow her to do that investigation herself? What we've asked her to do is present her findings and her plan to us, and it would seem to me that we're trying to create the plan. We're putting the cart before the horse. That's how I see this.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

In terms of the business of standing committees of the House of Commons, it is in fact a bona fide mandate for a committee to decide to look at, to question, to determine, what a particular department or minister is intending to do about things. That is part of the work of committee. Committees decide when they will do that, the timelines for doing it, how long it will take, and who they will call to the committee.

In this very thick book we have here, that is a clear part on the role of a committee. The ministers are accountable to Parliament. I would suggest that if Parliament believes that it needs to do that.... Parliaments may also duplicate studies if they choose.

This is a committee on the Status of Women Canada. The committee on the status of women will be dealing with women. They are women who are mothers, who have children, and who bear children. It's valid. It falls under the mandate to look at the issue of women.

Under all of those guidelines for committee work, I think this is a valid motion. If it were not, I would not have allowed the motion to come to the floor to be debated. It's a very valid motion. The question is whether we are going to accept it or not accept it, not on whether it is a point of order that it should be here. It is in fact within the order and scope of this committee to do this work.

Now, I have Madame Boucher, Mr. Calandra, and Madame Demers.

I think I will call the question immediately, because we really did plan to do some work. Unless people have brand-new points that they wish to make.... As chair, I will decide if we are repeating the same things.

Madame Boucher.

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

I am going to tell you right off what is bothering me: "That the Committee invite the concerned Canadian and Quebec civil society organizations".

I am a Quebecker and a Canadian, and as far as I know, Quebec is still part of Canada. We might rather say: "That the Committee invite the concerned civil society organizations from all the provinces of Canada". It would make more sense to the other members of the committee and it would show mutual respect.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

This is a decision that's going to have to be made by the committee. Whether you accept this absolute language or we're going to hang ourselves on the language, whatever it is, that's up to you. I am here to facilitate your decision-making.

Ms. Boucher has decided that she does not like the words “Canadian and Quebec”.

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

It's not that I don't like Quebec, it's that Quebec is still part of Canada. Out of respect for the others present, we could say: "That the Committee invite the concerned organizations from all the provinces of Canada to appear following the government's announcement to make maternal and child health ...". I am sure the other provinces of Canada would also like to be heard.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Before we discuss whether we will change the wording of this, are you offering a formal amendment to this motion, Ms. Boucher?

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

Yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Could you please write that amendment down so I'm sure I know what it is?

Before you do, I would like to point out that if you only speak about provinces you will be leaving out the territories in this country. The words “civil society” encompass everybody. I think that was why the words were used.

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

"... from the provinces and territories ..."

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Would you please quickly write it down and send it to me?

While we're waiting to get that amendment, there's still the principle of the motion. Mr. Calandra and Ms. Demers had their hands up prior to the amendment.

Mr. Calandra.

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

This is a question for Madam Demers, through the chair.

I have that we're not doing a study, we're just listening to people's advice. Once we've listened to their advice, we will be preparing nothing. We won't actually be submitting any advice because we're listening to advice. Analysts won't be writing anything because it's not a study.

To Madam Demers, through you, Madam Chair, how long did you anticipate that we would actually study? What do you hope to accomplish from this? Do you anticipate that it would take one meeting, two meetings? How long did you think we would need to do this in order to have proper advice to the ministers we invited in the previous motion?

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Ms. Demers is the next person on the list. She can answer the questions at the same time.

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I did not intend to do a study. I wanted to gather information from the ministers and the organizations concerned. I anticipated that it would only take two meetings, one with the ministers and the other with the organizations concerned. I wasn't thinking of having to report on the meetings since it would be information-gathering.

However, if Mr. Calandra wants to do a study on this subject, another motion will be tabled and I will be very happy to do the study. But I think that we first have to do a very important study on aboriginal women. Personally, I think it could be done as part of another study. If Mr. Calandra still wants to do a study, I will be very open to the idea, but at present, what I want is to gather information.