ACVA Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs met at 3:30 p.m. this day, in Room 112-N, Centre Block, the Chair, Greg Kerr, presiding.

The witnesses answered questions.

The Committee commenced its clause-by-clause study of the Bill.

Pursuant to Standing Order 75(1), consideration of Clause 1, Short Title, was postponed.

The Chair called Clause 2.

Clause 2 carried.

Clause 3 carried.

On Clause 4,

“(a) may participate in an”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Frank Valeriote and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 4; NAYS: 5.

Clause 4 carried.

Clause 5 carried.

On Clause 6,

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Frank Valeriote and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 4; NAYS: 5.

Clause 6 carried.

On Clause 7,

“given to a person who belongs to a class determined by the Commission and meets the requirements established by the Commission and

(a) who was released from the Canadian Forces for medical reasons that are attributable to service; or

(b) who, having served at least three years in the Canadian Forces and having been honourably released within the meaning of regulations made under the National Defence Act, suffers from a disability for which an award may be paid under the Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Act.

(1.1) The priority established under subsection (1) is valid for the period determined by the Commission, which begins the day on which the Minister of Veterans Affairs determines that the medical reasons that led to the person's release are attributable to service or that the person suffers from the disability referred to in subsection (1).”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Sylvain Chicoine and it was negatived on the following recorded division: YEAS: Sylvain Chicoine, John Rafferty, Peter Stoffer, Frank Valeriote — 4; NAYS: Brad Butt, Royal Galipeau, Parm Gill, Laurie Hawn, Bryan Hayes — 5.

Pursuant to the order adopted by the Committee on Tuesday, November 5, 2013, the following amendment, submitted by Elizabeth May for the consideration of the Committee, was deemed moved:

That Bill C-27, in Clause 7, be amended by replacing lines 26 and 27 on page 3 with the following:

“the Canadian Forces for medical reasons, who belongs to a class”

RULING BY THE CHAIR

Bill C-27 aims to amend the Public Service Employment Act to provide increased access to hiring opportunities in the public service for certain serving and former members of the Canadian Forces and to establish a right of appointment, in priority to all other persons, for certain members of the Canadian Forces who are released for medical reasons that are attributable to service.

The proposed amendment PV-1 would remove the specification that a priority in hiring would be reserved for those whose release for medical reasons is directly attributable to service. The scope of the Bill as adopted at second reading by the House of Commons on June 3, 2014 is explicit in restricting the priority to those individuals and the amendment therefore falls outside the scope of the Bill.

As House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Second Edition, states on page 766:

“An amendment to a bill that was referred to committee after second reading is out of order if it is beyond the scope and principle of the bill.”

In the opinion of the Chair, this amendment is therefore inadmissible.

“the Canadian Forces for medical reasons that the Minister of Veterans Affairs determines are”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Parm Gill and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 9; NAYS: 0.

Pursuant to the order adopted by the Committee on Tuesday, November 5, 2013, the following amendment, submitted by Elizabeth May for the consideration of the Committee, was deemed moved:

That Bill C-27, in Clause 7, be amended by adding after line 35 on page 3 the following:

“(3) If the Commission is not satisfied that the person referred to in subsection (1) meets the essential qualifications referred to in paragraph 30(2)(a), the Commission shall provide the person with information about available training opportunities to meet those qualifications.”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 4; NAYS: 5.

Clause 7, as amended, carried.

Clause 8 carried.

Clause 9 carried.

Clause 10 carried.

On Clause 11,

“(Paragraphs 39(1)(a) and (b))”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Frank Valeriote and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 4; NAYS: 5.

Clause 11 carried.

On Clause 12,

Pursuant to the order adopted by the Committee on Tuesday, November 5, 2013, the following amendment, submitted by Elizabeth May for the consideration of the Committee, was deemed moved:

“That Bill C-27, in Clause 12, be amended by deleting lines 28 to 36 on page 4.”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 0; NAYS: 9.

“person who, being a veteran, died from causes arising during the service by virtue of which the former Member became a veteran or of a person who died as a result of a service-related injury or disease within the meaning of the Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Act or the Pension Act.”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Sylvain Chicoine and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 4; NAYS: 5.

“person who, being a veteran referred to in any of paragraphs (a) to (f) of the definition veteran”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Frank Valeriote and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 4; NAYS: 5.

After debate, Clause 12 carried.

On Clause 13,

Pursuant to the order adopted by the Committee on Tuesday, November 5, 2013, the following amendment, submitted by Elizabeth May for the consideration of the Committee, was deemed moved:

That Bill C-27, in Clause 13, be amended by replacing lines 17 and 18 on page 5 with the following:

“Forces for medical reasons, unless, during that period, the”

RULING BY THE CHAIR

Bill C-27 aims to amend the Public Service Employment Act to provide increased access to hiring opportunities in the public service for certain serving and former members of the Canadian Forces and to establish a right of appointment, in priority to all other persons, for certain members of the Canadian Forces who are released for medical reasons that are attributable to service.

The proposed amendment PV-4 would remove the specification that a priority in hiring would be reserved for those whose release for medical reasons is directly attributable to service. The scope of the Bill as adopted at second reading by the House of Commons on June 3, 2014 is explicit in restricting the priority to those individuals and the amendment therefore falls outside the scope of the Bill.

As House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Second Edition, states on page 766:

“An amendment to a bill that was referred to committee after second reading is out of order if it is beyond the scope and principle of the bill.”

In the opinion of the Chair, this amendment is therefore inadmissible

“Forces for medical reasons that the Minister of Veterans Affairs determines are attributa-”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Parm Gill and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 9; NAYS: 0.

Clause 13, as amended, carried.

Clause 14 carried.

Clause 15 carried.

Clause 1, Short Title, carried.

The Title carried.

The Bill, as amended, carried.

ORDERED, — That the Chair report the Bill, as amended, to the House.

ORDERED, — That Bill C-27, as amended, be reprinted for the use of the House at report stage.

At 5:30 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.