Veterans Affairs Committee on Oct. 30th, 2006

[Brent St. Denis, Liberal, Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON]

To concur with my colleague, there's no institutional resistance to a reasonably sized delegation pursuing, first, permission from the budget liaison committee and House leaders as appropriate. It would certainly, in our view, involve at a maximum, as I had mentioned to you in my note, a seven-member delegation, which would be two, two, one, one, plus the chair, or a five-member one--one for each party plus the chair--which I think deals with the comment of the colleague on the budget costs. So I'm sure there would be no great resistance to that. And the timing is an important issue. But I wouldn't say there's any institutional resistance to an effort to understand better what the Australians have done, on the assumption that there is something to be learned from the experience.

I think even listening to the Korea vets today shows us another aspect of the whole idea.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

Okay.

My sense, as it stands right now, is that you do have some questions about this. You're not willing to endorse this holus-bolus.

[Brent St. Denis, Liberal, Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON]

I think we would be prepared to give an approval, without prejudice, to a reasonably sized trip in order that some homework could be done. The problem is I can't assure you there'd be any Liberals available in December. I don't know. I don't have anything signed in blood by colleagues. I know I can't go in December.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

I appreciate your party's time commitments. I understand; we've gone through some of those things ourselves over the last few years.

That being the case, I think it would be reasonable to say that you're looking at some time in January or later. I would suggest that for a lot of us January is probably out of the question. We've got other business on the go, back in the ridings. February or the end of January is probably more reasonable. Then you've got some questions with regard to the number of people travelling.

Yes, Monsieur Perron?

[Gilles-A. Perron, Bloc, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

It is impossible for me in December. On December 10, I must take part in two events that I just simply cannot miss. First of all, it is my birthday and I must be with my family. Moreover, it is also the day I get to be nominated as Bloc Québécois candidate in my riding, in view of the election that is likely to be held in February, March, etc. It is not possible for me in December. I believe that the Bloc Québécois does not really support the idea.

Without going into a debate, why don't we request the appearance of the ombudsman? That might be just as well. We do not need to discuss this tonight, but we could think about it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

There are all sorts of ways to approach this.

Anyhow, I sense we don't have enough nailed down at this point to really pursue the motion, so I think we're just going to leave it be. Fair enough? Okay.

Now, we do have one we've previously dealt with, securing the mighty $2,000-plus budget to go to Ste. Anne's.

Monsieur Gaudet, is this on a previous question?

[Roger Gaudet, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

No.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

This is on Ste. Anne's? Okay, let me just get it on the table, then.

As the date has already been set as November 20, what we're really deciding is how long the trip will take, and also—because we've had some people who've done some investigating into this for us—whether or not we should link the Ottawa and Ste. Anne's trips all in the same thing. I think the understanding is that the Ottawa trip is going to take two hours, at least. The trip to Montreal is going to take probably four hours, at least—and I'm not even sure if that includes travel time. That being the case, we may actually have to split it, as opposed to just going with a single trip.

Does the clerk have something to add?

[The Clerk of the Committee, Mr. Alexandre Roger]

It doesn't include travel time.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

Mr. Epp is right that it does not include travel time. So we're looking at six hours minimum in terms of both of them, four hours plus two, and then travel time.

Monsieur Gaudet.

[Roger Gaudet, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Chair, my question is simple. The Sainte-Anne Hospital is not far from my home. In the morning, I will stop by in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue and then I will follow you to Ottawa. I believe that my colleague will do the same. I go near that place on Monday mornings. If we know the schedule, we will go straight to the hospital and we will wait for you while having coffee or breakfast.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

Sure, I don't think anybody around here would have trouble with that.

All right, so given the fact we've had a little bit of research into this and found that it's probably easier to split these things than to have both occur on one day—unless it's the will of the committee to forge ahead with that and do Ottawa and Montreal in one fell swoop....

Okay, well, if that seems to be the will of the committee, then it just means we're going to make a long day of it. If that's the will of the committee, that's the will of the committee.

Mr. Stoffer.

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

I just want to give the committee the.... I noticed that on November 20 I won't be able to travel with the committee because it's my daughter's sixteenth birthday; I won't be there for that trip, but I wish you all a good trip. I've been to Ste. Anne's and on the Perley one as well. You're going to have a great visit: it's very, very worth while.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

Thank you.

Congratulations, Mr. Stoffer.

Monsieur Perron.

[Gilles-A. Perron, Bloc, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Mr. Chair, I think that you misunderstood me. I believe that we should go to Saint-Anne Hospital on one day and to Ottawa another day. Otherwise, if we add up six hours to the time needed for travel, we will end up having a 12-hour day. That does not make any sense. I suggest that we meet at Sainte-Anne Hospital at 9:30 a.m. or 10:00 a.m. and then we will stay for the time necessary. We will then come back.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

Okay. All right, let's deal with Ste. Anne's and Montreal then. Let's look at the four hours, which are going to require travel on either side, which I'm guessing is going to be at least an hour and a half.

Two hours, you think? All right, so that's going to make it an eight-hour day. Fair enough.

When do we want to begin that and when do we want to end that? If we begin at eight, that would wrap us up around four. We'll have to toss a lunch in there someplace probably. For our Quebec colleagues, that would probably mean we would be leaving here at eight and meeting in Montreal around ten.

Does that sound fairly appropriate? Sounds good enough? Okay.

Mr. Shipley.

[Bev Shipley, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

I have a question. I don't know if I missed it when the 20th got set, but I won't be.... We're on two committees, and obviously we've set a tour for the 20th, but I didn't realize when the 20th got set.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

It's one of those things.

[Bev Shipley, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Anyway, you will enjoy it and will give us a great report, I'm sure.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

It's one of those things: we have to set a date, and some dates not everybody can make.

[Bev Shipley, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

I mentioned it just so you would know ahead of time. I just wanted to be open.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

I appreciate that, Mr. Shipley. Mr. Stoffer expressed that as well.

Unless there is anything else to talk about on that issue, I think we're set for the 20th, and will be leaving here at 8 a.m.

Monsieur Gaudet.

[Roger Gaudet, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Will we receive the schedule for the day? That's good.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

We're just giving some instructions here.

[The Clerk]

The people from Veterans Affairs are organizing the visit. They will probably send us a schedule and instructions for us to know exactly where to go and I have already contacted people at the hospital. It will not be difficult to get the information to you. We still have a lot of time; we will be able to establish a good schedule.