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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 35

Thursday, March 15, 2012

The Standing Committee on Health met at 8:48 a.m. this day, in Room 306, La Promenade Building, the Chair, Joy Smith, presiding.

Members of the Committee present: Kelly Block, Patrick Brown, Colin Carrie, Libby Davies, Hon. Hedy Fry, Parm Gill, Wladyslaw Lizon, Dany Morin, Anne Minh-Thu Quach, Joy Smith and Mark Strahl.

Acting Members present: Carol Hughes for Djaouida Sellah.

In attendance: House of Commons: Wayne Cole, Legislative Clerk ; Chloé O'Shaughnessy, Legislative Clerk . Library of Parliament: Raphaelle Deraspe, Analyst ; Sonya Norris, Analyst.

Pursuant to the Order of Reference of Wednesday, February 15, 2012, the Committee resumed consideration of Bill C-300, An Act respecting a Federal Framework for Suicide Prevention.

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

Pursuant to Standing Order 75(1), consideration of the Preamble and Clause 1 was postponed.

The Chair called Clause 2.

On Clause 2,

Dany Morin moved, — That Bill C-300, in Clause 2, be amended by replacing lines 12 and 13 on page 2 with the following:

“(b) establishes a distinct national coordinating body for suicide prevention to operate within the appropriate entities in the Government of Canada and to assume re-”

The Chair ruled the proposed amendment inadmissible because it infringed on the financial initiative of the Crown, as provided on pages 767-768 of House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Second Edition.

Libby Davies moved, — That Bill C-300, in Clause 2, be amended by replacing lines 12 and 13 on page 2 with the following:

“(b) establishes a distinct national coordinating body for suicide prevention to operate within the Mental Health Commission of Canada and to assume re-”

Hedy Fry moved, — That Bill C-300, in Clause 2, be amended by replacing line 16 on page 2 with the following:

“awareness and knowledge about and training on suicide,”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Hedy Fry and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 5; NAYS: 6.

Dany Morin moved, — That Bill C-300, in Clause 2, be amended by replacing lines 17 to 22 on page 2 with the following:

“(ii) supporting and enhancing information systems to disseminate information about suicide and suicide prevention, including improvements to federal-provincial surveillance systems so that current statistics about suicide and related risk factors are made available to the public,”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Dany Morin and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 5; NAYS: 6.

Anne Minh-Thu Quach moved, — That Bill C-300, in Clause 2, be amended by adding after line 19 on page 2 the following:

“(ii.1) disseminating information about the determinants of health, including economic status — social environment and access to health services — as risk factors for suicide,”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Anne Minh-Thu Quach and it was negatived on the following recorded division: YEAS: Libby Davies, Hedy Fry, Carol Hughes, Dany Morin, Anne Minh-Thu Quach — 5; NAYS: Kelly Block, Patrick Brown, Colin Carrie, Parm Gill, Wladyslaw Lizon, Mark Strahl — 6.

Hedy Fry moved, — That Bill C-300, in Clause 2, be amended by replacing lines 26 and 27 on page 2 with the following:

“(v) defining best practices, through the establishment of a best practice registry, for suicide prevention,”

After debate, by unanimous consent, the amendment was allowed to stand.

Dany Morin moved, — That Bill C-300, in Clause 2, be amended by adding after line 30 on page 2 the following:

“(vii) establishing national standards for the training of persons engaged in suicide prevention, so that, in their interaction with potentially vulnerable populations, they may better identify individuals who are at risk and direct them to the appropriate assessment and treatment services.”

Debate arose thereon.

Libby Davies moved, — That the amendment be amended by replacing “establishing”, with the word “recommending” and adding after the words “national standards”, the following:

“in cooperation with provinces and territories”.

After debate, the question was put on the subamendment of Libby Davies and it was negatived on the following recorded division: YEAS: Libby Davies, Hedy Fry, Carol Hughes, Dany Morin, Anne Minh-Thu Quach — 5; NAYS: Kelly Block, Patrick Brown, Colin Carrie, Parm Gill, Wladyslaw Lizon, Mark Strahl — 6.

The question was put on the amendment of Dany Morin and it was negatived on the following recorded division: YEAS: Libby Davies, Hedy Fry, Carol Hughes, Dany Morin, Anne Minh-Thu Quach — 5; NAYS: Kelly Block, Patrick Brown, Colin Carrie, Parm Gill, Wladyslaw Lizon, Mark Strahl — 6.

The Committee resumed consideration of the amendment of Hedy Fry, — That Bill C-300, in Clause 2, be amended by replacing lines 26 and 27 on page 2 with the following:

“(v) defining best practices, through the establishment of a best practice registry, for suicide prevention,”

By unanimous consent, the amendment was withdrawn.

Hedy Fry moved, — That Bill C-300, in Clause 2, be amended by replacing lines 26 and 27 on page 2 with the following:

“(v) defining best practices for suicide prevention through the Public Health Agency’s existing registry.”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Hedy Fry and it was negatived on the following recorded division: YEAS: Libby Davies, Hedy Fry, Carol Hughes, Dany Morin, Anne Minh-Thu Quach — 5; NAYS: Kelly Block, Patrick Brown, Colin Carrie, Parm Gill, Wladyslaw Lizon, Mark Strahl — 6.

Dany Morin moved, — That Bill C-300, in Clause 2, be amended by adding after line 30 on page 2 the following:

“(vii) conducting studies on the reduction of access to means and methods for persons to harm themselves.”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Dany Morin and it was negatived on the following recorded division: YEAS: Libby Davies, Hedy Fry, Carol Hughes, Dany Morin, Anne Minh-Thu Quach — 5; NAYS: Kelly Block, Patrick Brown, Colin Carrie, Parm Gill, Wladyslaw Lizon, Mark Strahl — 6.

Dany Morin moved, — That Bill C-300, in Clause 2, be amended by adding after line 30 on page 2 the following:

“(vii) conducting studies on the means to reduce stigma associated with being a consumer of mental health, substance abuse, suicide prevention, intervention and bereavement services.”

Debate arose thereon.

Anne Minh-Thu Quach moved, — That the amendment be amended by replacing the words “conducting studies on the means to reduce” with the words “promoting studies by health care experts on the means to reduce”

After debate, the question was put on the subamendment of Anne Minh-Thu Quach and it was negatived on the following recorded division: YEAS: Libby Davies, Hedy Fry, Carol Hughes, Dany Morin, Anne Minh-Thu Quach — 5; NAYS: Kelly Block, Patrick Brown, Colin Carrie, Parm Gill, Wladyslaw Lizon, Mark Strahl — 6.

Dany Morin moved, — That Bill C-300, in Clause 2, be amended by adding after line 30 on page 2 the following:

“(vii) establishing national guidelines for best practices in suicide prevention based on evidence in key areas of mental health care.”

Dany Morin moved, — That Bill C-300, in Clause 2, be amended by adding after line 30 on page 2 the following:

“(vii) assessing access to appropriate and adequate health, wellness and recovery services, including mental health and substance abuse services, for all Canadians, as well as for families and communities.”

Dany Morin moved, — That Bill C-300, in Clause 2, be amended by adding after line 30 on page 2 the following:

“(vii) assessing and adopting, where appropriate, the recommendations and objectives outlined in the Blueprint for a National Suicide Prevention Strategy of the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention.”

Dany Morin moved, — That Bill C-300, in Clause 2, be amended by adding after line 30 on page 2 the following:

“(vii) studying the funding arrangements to provide the treatment, education, professional training and other supports required to prevent suicide and assist those bereaved by a suicide.”

Hedy Fry moved, — That Bill C-300, in Clause 2, be amended by adding after line 30 on page 2 the following:

“(vii) providing suicide prevention guidelines for training, certification and accreditation for Canadians who work with Inuit and First Nations, armed forces and veterans, all areas within federal jurisdiction, and for whom the federal government has direct responsibility for service delivery.”

Hedy Fry moved, — That Bill C-300, in Clause 2, be amended by adding after line 30 on page 2 the following:

“(vii) providing guidelines to support persons impacted by suicidal behaviour and suicide.”

Hedy Fry moved, — That Bill C-300, in Clause 2, be amended by adding after line 30 on page 2 the following:

“(vii) promoting trauma-informed care and practices.”

Hedy Fry moved, — That Bill C-300, in Clause 2, be amended by adding after line 30 on page 2 the following:

“(vii) advancing a comprehensive federal, provincial and territorial public and private sector response to suicide prevention as called for in the guidelines published by the United Nations and World Health Organization in 1996 entitled "Prevention of Suicide: Guidelines for the Formulation and Implementation of National Strategies”.”

Clause 2 carried.

Clause 3 carried.

On Clause 4,

Dany Morin moved, — That Bill C-300, in Clause 4, be amended by replacing line 11 on page 3 with the following:

“4. Within one year after the coming into”

Dany Morin moved, — That Bill C-300, in Clause 4, be amended by replacing line 12 on page 3 with the following:

“force of this Act and every year thereafter,”

Clause 4 carried.

The Short Title carried.

The Preamble carried.

The Title carried.

The Bill carried.

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

At 10:16 a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Mariane Beaudin
Clerk of the Committee

2012/03/16 3:13 p.m.