HEAL Committee Meeting

STANDING COMMITTEE ON HEALTH

COMITÉ PERMANENT DE LA SANTÉ

EVIDENCE

[Recorded by Electronic Apparatus]

Thursday, November 4, 1999

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[English]

The Chair (Mr. Lynn Myers (Waterloo—Wellington, Lib.)): Ladies and gentlemen, with your permission we'll start the meeting. As we wait for a quorum, we'll pass the motions accordingly, but I think what we'll do in advance of that is go through the list of what was agreed to at the steering committee.

The first thing, of course, would be to get unanimous consent to present the first report of the steering committee, that is, the subcommittee on agenda and procedure, of the Standing Committee on Health. Is it agreed that we do this?

Some hon. members: Agreed.

The Chair: Thank you.

What was decided in the first report is as follows, and I'll go through it and read it. If there are any questions after the fact, perhaps we could take them at that time.

First, it was agreed that the committee meet on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m., and on Wednesdays—and this accommodates some members who indicated it was a problem on Thursday—from 3.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.

Second, it was agreed that the committee invite Health Canada to provide an information session for committee members on Tuesday, November 16 and Wednesday, November 17.

Third, it was agreed that the committee hold an information session on the Canadian Institutes of Health Research on Tuesday, November 23 and Wednesday, November 24.

Fourth, it was agreed that should Bill C-13 on the Canadian Institutes of Health Research be referred to the Standing Committee on Health before the end of November, the committee hold hearings on November 30, December 1, 7, and 8. It was also agreed that should hearings on the Canadian Institutes of Health Research be concluded during the week of December 13, the committee would hold hearings on the auditor general's report, which as you know is coming down as well.

Next, it was agreed that members submit their suggested witness lists on the CIHR to the clerk of the committee.

It was also agreed that given the committee's suggested work plan, the motion of Mr. Ménard on blood donation and the letter of Ms. Wasylycia-Leis on the food safety system be considered at the next steering committee meeting, which incidentally will be held in early December.

It is agreed that the clerk of the committee circulate notices of meetings for both the environment and agriculture committees when matters of interest to the health committee are being considered.

Finally, it was agreed that the chair present the first report of the subcommittee on agenda and procedure to the main committee, which I'm doing right now.

Are there any questions with respect to these items?

We need one more member and then we'll call the question.

Mrs. Karen Redman (Kitchener Centre, Lib.): Mr. Chair, I have one question. Is 11 to 1 o'clock on Tuesday traditionally when the health committee meets?

The Chair: That is the time that was set aside for the health committee, yes—Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Mrs. Karen Redman: Does the clerk happen to know when... I'm on HRDC, and I make no presumption that this committee would make its arrangements around my schedule. It's just that I will have a conflict every Tuesday, I think. I don't know if anyone else is in that boat. I missed the last meeting because of HRDC. I just point that out. Tuesdays will be an ongoing problem for me. Wednesday will be...

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The Chair: Thank you.

Is there any other discussion?

We'll wait for our committee members then. My apologies. We have no choice other than to do that. They're on their way, though.

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The Chair: Let's resurrect the meeting now that we have a quorum. We had a number of recommendations coming out of the subcommittee.

Is it agreed that this first report of the subcommittee on agenda and procedure be concurred in?

(Motion agreed to)

The Chair: Is there anything else to come before this committee?

This committee is adjourned. Thank you very much.