HUMA Committee Meeting

Meeting No. 1

Thursday, October 28, 1999

The Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities met at 9:30 a.m. this day, in Room 705, La Promenade Building, for the purpose of electing a Chair and two Vice-Chairs.

Member(s) of the Committee present: Peter Adams, Libby Davies, Jean Dubé, Christiane Gagnon, John Godfrey, Dale Johnston, Judi Longfield, Rey Pagtakhan, Karen Redman, The Hon. Andy Scott, Stéphan Tremblay, Maurice Vellacott and Bryon Wilfert.

Acting Member(s) present: Gary Pilliteri for Larry McCormick, Carolyn Bennett for Raymonde Folco, John O'Reilly for Bonnie Brown, Monique Guay for Paul Crête and Gary Lunn for Diane Ablonczy.

In attendance: From the Library of Parliament: Sandra Harder, Researcher; Kevin Kerr, Researcher; Bill Young, Researcher.

The Clerk presided over the election of the Chair.

Rey Pagtakhan moved that Peter Adams be elected Chair of this Committee.

The question being put on the said motion, it was agreed to.

Accordingly, Peter Adams took the Chair.

The Chair called for a motion to elect the Vice-Chairs.

On motion of Carolyn Bennett, it was agreed, -- That Bryon Wilfert be elected Vice-Chair of the Committee.

On motion of Dale Johnston, it was agreed, that Maurice Vellacott be elected Opposition Vice-Chair of the Committee.

On motion of Libby Davies, it was agreed, -- That the Committee retain the services of one or more Research Officer from the Library of Parliament, as needed, to assist the Committee in its works, at the discretion of the Chairman.

On motion of Judy Longfield, it was agreed, -- That as established by the Board of Internal Economy and at the discretion of the Chairman, reasonable travelling and living expenses be reimbursed to witnesses invited to appear before the Committee, up to a maximum of two representatives for any one organization.

On motion of Libby Davies, it was agreed, -- That the Committee authorize payment of child care expenses for witnesses appearing before the Committee or one of its Sub-Committees and that such expenses be paid from the Witness Expenses item in the Committee’s budget for the fiscal year.

Karen Redman moved, -- That the Steering Committee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of nine members including the Chair, the two Vice-Chairs, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources Development, two other members from the government and one from each of the other parties not represented, to be named after the usual consultations with the whips.

And debate arising thereon:

Carolyn Bennett moved the following amendment,-- That the motion be amended by adding immediately after the words "Minister of Human Resources Development" the following:

"the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour"

And, by striking out the words "two other members of the government" and substituting the following:

"one other member of the government".

The question being put on the amendment, it was agreed to.

The Committee resumed consideration of the main motion as amended, That the Steering Committee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of nine members including the Chair, the two Vice-Chairs, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources Development, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour, one other member from the government and one from each of the other parties not represented, to be named after the usual consultations with the whips.

After debate, the question being put on the main motion as amended, it was agreed to.

John Godfrey moved, -- That the Chairman be authorized to hold meetings in order to receive evidence when a quorum is not present, provided that five members be present and provided that at least one member of the opposition is present with the provision that, in the case of the absence of either Government or opposition members, the Chair be authorized to call the meeting to order no sooner than 15 minutes after the time indicated on the notice as long as five members are present.

And debate arising thereon, Rey Pagtakhan moved the following amendment -- That the motion be amended by adding immediately after the words: "or opposition members" the following:

"as indicated above"

The question being put on the amendment, it was agreed to.

The Committee resumed consideration of the main motion as amended -- That the Chairman be authorized to hold meetings in order to receive evidence when a quorum is not present, provided that five members be present and provided that at least one member of the opposition is present with the provision that, in the case of the absence of either Government or opposition members as indicated above, the Chair be authorized to call the meeting to order no sooner than 15 minutes after the time indicated on the notice as long as five members are present.

And debate arising thereon, Christiane Gagnon, moved the following amendement,-- That the motion be amended by adding immediately the words "to receive evidence" the following:

"from witnesses".

The question being put on the amendment, it was agreed to.

The Committee resumed consideration of the main motion as amended, -- That the Chairman be authorized to hold meetings in order to receive evidence from witnesses when a quorum is not present, provided that five members be present and provided that at least one member of the opposition is present with the provision that, in the case of the absence of either Government or opposition members as indicated above, the Chair be authorized to call the meeting to order no sooner than 15 minutes after the time indicated on the notice as long as five members are present.

The question being put on the main motion as amended, it was agreed to.

Judy Longfield moved, -- That unless there is unanimous consent, forty-eight (48) hours written notice must be given to the members of the Committee before any new item of business is considered by the Committee.

After debate thereon; by unanimous consent, the motion was withdrawn.

On motion of Karen Redman, it was agreed, -- That the Committee authorize the Chairman, in consultation with the Clerk, to make the necessary arrangements to provide working meals, from time to time, and that the cost of these meals be charged to the Committee’s budget.

On motion of Bryon Wilfert, it was agreed, -- That the Clerk circulate to all Members of the Committee Order in Council appointments referred to the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilites.

Bryon Wilfert moved, -- That the Clerk of the Committee be authorized to distribute documents to the members of the Committee in the language received, and to ensure that such documents are translated and distributed as promptly as possible.

After debate thereon; by unanimous consent, the motion was withdrawn.

Christiane Gagnon moved, -- That the Clerk of the Committee be authorized to distribute documents received from the public only once they have been translated in both official languages.

After debate, the question being put on the main motion it was agreed to.

Bryon Wilfert moved, -- That one transcript of all Committee meetings held in camera be produced to be kept in the Committee Clerk’s office for consultation.

And debate arising thereon:

Dale Johnston moved the following amendment, -- That the motion be amended by adding immediately after the words "for consultation" the following:

"and that all those transcripts be destroyed at the end of the session".

The question being put on the amendment, it was negatived.

The question being put on the main motion, it was agreed to.

Karen Redman, moved, -- That the Committee will attempt to meet on Tuesday mornings at 11:00 a.m. and Thursday mornings at 11:00 a.m.

After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was agreed to.

On motion of John Godfrey, it was agreed,

-- That pursuant to Standing Order 108(1) (a)(b), a Sub-Committee of the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities be established, and that pursuant to 108(2) and (3)(c) the Sub-Committee study among other matters, the proposing, promoting, monitoring and assessment of initiatives aimed at the integration and equality of disabled persons in all sectors of Canadian society;

That the Sub-Committee be composed of nine members or associate members of the Committee namely: five government members and four members representing the opposition parties to be named after the usual consultations with the whips and filed with the Clerk;

That the Sub-Committee report thereon its findings and recommendations to the Committee;

That the Sub-Committee be empowered, except when the House otherwise orders, to send for persons, papers and records, to receive evidence, to sit no more than once a week, unless otherwise authorized by the Committee during a time when the Committee is not sitting, to print from day to day such papers as may be ordered by it and to authorize the Chair to hold meetings to receive evidence when a quorum is not present provided that at least 3 members are present including the opposition;

That when the Chair of the Sub-Committee is unable to act in that capacity at or during a meeting of the Sub-Committee, he shall designate a member of the Sub-Committee to act as Chair at or during the said meeting;

That substitution of members on the Sub-Committee be in accordance with Standing Order114(2)(b) and (c);

That the Committee authorize the allocation of sufficient funds from its budget to the Sub-Committee for the payment of reasonable travelling and living expenses to witnesses appearing before the Sub-Committee;

That the Sub-Committee be empowered to retain the services of research officers from the Library of Parliament and;

That it also be empowered to retain the professional, clerical and stenographic help as may be required.

It was agreed, -- That the Steering Committee met on Tuesday, November 2^nd to discuss future business and that the Standing Committee met on the following Thursday.

At 10:17 a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Danielle Belisle

Clerk of the Committee