Status of Women Committee on March 25th, 2021

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

The discussion was not to have the meetings in the break week. That's what we were discussing, and based on the amendment that has been proposed, Ms. Alleslev is looking for two meetings during the break week. This is exactly the point we were discussing before, as well as submitting the lists of the witnesses. It's to make sure that appropriate time is provided to the MPs to fulfill their duties as members of Parliament and be responsible to their constituents.

I think we should meet and have meetings during the weeks when the House is sitting, and that would be the week of April 12.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Ms. Hutchings.

[Gudie Hutchings, Liberal, Long Range Mountains, NL]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I'd just like to echo what my colleague Ms. Zahid said. This additional week is a constituency week. It's a shorter week because it's the Easter weekend.

Also, I just want to reiterate that, for the analysts, it's an Easter break with them as well. Also, we've heard often, in every committee and we hear it in the House, about the stress that all the interpretation is putting on the interpreters. I think we need to consider all that as well, and I think we need to let the clerk have time to get the witnesses in place for that following week.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Ms. Alleslev.

[Leona Alleslev, Conservative, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

This is a very important topic, and yes, we absolutely have responsibilities to our constituents, but as members of Parliament we have responsibilities to the men and women in uniform to do our very best as quickly as possible at a moment in time where, as the acting chief of the defence staff says, the military is in a crisis and this is an inflection point and Canadians, as well as men and women in uniform, are looking to us to do the work for the country as much as the work for our constituents.

This amendment is a compromise. We have one break week exclusively for our constituents and another break week where we take two opportunities to have meetings to speak about and investigate such an important topic further. I know that our colleagues, from the other angle of this study, on the defence committee, are meeting both break weeks.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Ms. Dhillon.

[Anju Dhillon, Liberal, Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

There's no difference between next week and the week after. It's a constituency week. We also have obligations towards our constituents. We have obligations towards our staff to not overwork them. We have only three weeks until Parliament goes for a full run for the next seven weeks.

It's not okay to stress out our staffers and overwork them. Just because we have Zoom, it doesn't mean we can or should abuse it and end up abusing our staffers, the interpreters and the clerks. I think everybody is in need of a break. Everybody needs to be able to just take these moments for themselves.

Yes, we have duties towards our Canadian Armed Forces, but we have duties towards our constituents. We have duties towards the mental health of other people who surround us and who support us all the time.

I think we have to really take into consideration the mental health of those who are supporting us. It starts to become about that because we already had constituency week meetings and pre-meetings. Just because Zoom exists doesn't mean we should abuse it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

Ms. Zahid.

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

I agree with Ms. Dhillon. We have two constituency weeks. After that we are here for five weeks. Over 100,000 people in my riding are trying to get through COVID-19 in this difficult time. I have a lot of scheduled meetings with stakeholders and businesses. With the lockdowns and all, businesses are facing a lot of issues, so I think it is very important that we complete that work in the next two weeks. I know it is an important study and we'll come back to this on April 12.

In these difficult times, as we are all trying to navigate through COVID-19, the numbers are increasing. In Ontario, we have seen a sharp increase. I think there are a lot of reasons for us to make sure we are there for our constituents also. I think it will not be fair to the legislative staff here, like the clerks and the interpreters, who are trying to run the committees during the Easter week.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

We will vote on the amendment, which is to have two meetings the week of April 6.

(Amendment negatived: nays 5; yeas 4)

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

We will vote on the motion.

Madam Larouche, did you have a point?

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Yes, pardon me, Madam Chair. I was speaking to people at my party whip's office to figure out how much extra work it would be for the clerk and House staff if we met twice during the second break week.

The committee seemed to be split on the amendment we just voted on, in other words, holding two meetings during the second break week. Some members don't want to hold any meetings in the next two weeks, and others want two meetings, but the Liberals seem to think that would be too much. How about meeting just once, then—Thursday of the second break week, April 8? That would be a good compromise.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

I think it's out of order because we are voting on the motion.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Can't I put forward a new motion to hold a single meeting, on Thursday, April 8?

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

No, not until we finish voting on this motion.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

All right.

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

Can Madam Larouche not propose another amendment to the motion?

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

No, because we had started the voting.

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

Okay. I'm sorry.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

The clerk will take the vote on the motion.

(Motion agreed to: yeas 10; nays 0)

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

We will call for the witnesses by Wednesday and let the clerk put them in order.

Madam Larouche.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

I understand the Liberals' point: we should provide a list of witnesses by March 31 in addition to giving ourselves time for constituency work. I am amenable to that. Holding two meetings may have taken up too much of our time.

As a compromise, this is what I would suggest. We have until March 31 to submit our witness lists. That gives committee staff time to collect the names. We could then meet on Thursday, April 8, to get a bit of a jump, given how much we have on our plate.

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

There is a new motion on the table. Is there discussion on that motion?

Seeing none, I will have the clerk take the vote.

We have a tie, and I vote yes.

(Motion agreed to: yeas 6; nays 5 [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[The Chair, Conservative, Marilyn Gladu]

We will have one meeting the week of April 6. I leave it to the clerk to organize whatever is best. Please have your witness lists in by next Wednesday.

Thank you to everyone for staying a few minutes. I will cancel the committee business meeting that was originally for next Tuesday.

Is it the will of the committee to adjourn?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.