Evidence of meeting #105 for Status of Women in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
The Clerk
We have a running list right now, and it was by unanimous consent, so we can't go to a vote. We can choose to resume at the next meeting. There are a couple of options on the table.
NDP
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
No. Other people are on the speaking list. We can adjourn and then continue on—
Liberal
NDP
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Shelby Kramp-Neuman
In that event, we'll need a motion to suspend, and there will need to be a vote on that motion.
Liberal
Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON
I'm sorry, Chair. I won't be here at next week's meeting, but I would like to speak, and I don't know where I am on the list.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Shelby Kramp-Neuman
You're about the sixth down.
We need a motion should we wish to suspend.
Liberal
Emmanuella Lambropoulos Liberal Saint-Laurent, QC
I would just like to be sure on one point.
If we suspend, it means that we will start again at the beginning at the next meeting. Is that correct?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Shelby Kramp-Neuman
Yes.
(Motion agreed to: yeas 9; nays 1)
[The meeting was suspended at 5:36 p.m., Thursday, April 18]
[The meeting resumed at 11:04 a.m., Tuesday, April 30]
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Shelby Kramp-Neuman
I call the meeting to order.
We're resuming meeting 105 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women.
On avoiding audio feedback, before we begin, a few things have changed. I would like to remind all members and other meeting participants in the room of the following important preventative measures.
To prevent disruption and potentially harmful audio feedback incidents that can cause injuries, all in-person participants are reminded to keep their earpieces away from the microphones at all times. As indicated in the communiqué from the Speaker to all members on Monday, April 29, the following measures have been taken to help prevent audio feedback incidents.
All earpieces have been replaced with a model that greatly reduces the probability of audio feedback. The new earpieces are black whereas the former earpieces were grey. Please use a only black, approved earpiece. By default, all unused earpieces will be unplugged at the start of the meeting. When you are not using your earpiece, please place it face down in the middle of the sticker for that purpose that you will find on the table as indicated.
Please consult the cards on the table for guidelines to prevent audio feedback incidents.
The room layout has also been adjusted to increase the distance between microphones and reduce the chance of feedback from an ambient earpiece. These measures are in place so we can conduct our business without interruption and to protect the health and safety of all participants, including the interpreters.
Thank you for your co-operation.
I would also like to make a few comments for the benefit of the members.
Before speaking, please wait until I recognize you by name. All comments shall be addressed through the chair.
As everyone is aware, we suspended the debate on Ms. Gazan's motion at the last meeting. We are now ready to resume the debate on that motion.
The text of the motion is as follows:
That the committee thank MP Vecchio for her years of service as chair of the committee.
Before we start, I would like to inform the members of the list that we had ongoing from the last meeting. The current speaking list is: Dominique Vien, Anna Roberts, Michelle Ferreri, Anita Vandenbeld and Pam Damoff. Since Pam is not here today, she is not on the list.
Please let me know if you would like your name added to or taken off the list.
Liberal
Conservative
Liberal
Lisa Hepfner Liberal Hamilton Mountain, ON
Is this a one-time offer or, if we hear something, can we jump in?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Shelby Kramp-Neuman
I reckon it will be a fluid list.
MP Gazan had the floor.
You can carry on, should you wish, or we can pass it to Dominique.
Conservative
Conservative
Dominique Vien Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
My first comments are for Ms. Gazan to thank her for moving this motion, which is entirely appropriate. It is to thank our esteemed colleague Karen Vecchio for her years of service in the position of chair of this committee. It is very well deserved.
I have also had the privilege of being her shadow minister, as we say in our parliamentary jargon, and I have seen what a dedicated woman and exemplary member she is, one who is valued by all parliamentary colleagues, particularly those who sit on our committee.
I would like Ms. Gazan's motion to be put to the vote, Madam Chair, without our having to spend a lot of time on it. If Ms. Vecchio were here, she would agree with me. I know her well enough to say that. What time we take to talk about this motion will be to say that we support it and we are ready to vote.
That is time we will not have for discussing some very important subjects, such as the study we are doing on the red dress alert. That study is also very dear to the heart of our colleague Leah Gazan, with good reason. The alert will mean that a process can be put in place, a system to protect indigenous women and girls, in particular, from dangers we want to see them protected against.
Thank you, Madam Chair. We observed your ability to bounce back and your sense of duty at our most recent meeting. We are familiar with your goodwill. I know you too. You are serious, dedicated and determined, and I am confident that you will be able to move the discussions along on the very important subjects we tackle here.
And so, colleagues, I am pleading with you this morning. Let us not make this motion a springboard for purely partisan and political discussions. Let us use this motion to say how much we value Ms. Vecchio and her work as a member of Parliament. We sincerely thank her for the work she has done.
Let us not go off on tangents that take us far away from what the motion is all about.
