Evidence of meeting #60 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
7:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
That is debate. It is not a point of order, Ms. Gazan.
Ms. Ferreri, I'll go back to you on the motion, and I will hold you to your comments on the motion, as is the procedure.
7:05 p.m.
Conservative
Michelle Ferreri Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
Sure. I was just asking the clerk about those timelines in terms of submissions and how many there are.
7:05 p.m.
The Clerk
We're halfway. Roughly half of them are still with translation at the moment.
7:05 p.m.
Conservative
Michelle Ferreri Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
They're halfway through, so would we not need more time? I guess that's what we're trying to figure out here, because if that's only half and you need to do the translation—
7:05 p.m.
The Clerk
We receive a few every day, so we're moving along. It will take a few more days, but we don't have a precise deadline in terms of when we will have received them all.
7:05 p.m.
Conservative
Michelle Ferreri Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
Okay. Thank you.
Mr. Chair, we're in a situation here, as we have these great witnesses who are waiting to give testimony. As I've said, I did make a motion to get them to speak as soon as possible so that we could do this not on their time. They obviously have some important things to address.
What we're looking at is trying to figure out how to include everyone if this is supposed to be universal. When I did this in the House, when I debated this bill in the House at second reading—
7:05 p.m.
Liberal
7:05 p.m.
Conservative
Michelle Ferreri Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
Yes, that's where I'm.... Yes, of course.
I talked about “universal”. How are we supposed to get all of the feedback in this time frame? I just can't understand how we're going to get all of that done if we're going to include all of Canada and all of the forms of child care, which I referred to earlier in terms of the Child Care Providers Resource Network, a witness that is here today and would like to share their stories with us. Obviously, child care is the care of a child, regardless of who provides the care: parents, grandparents, friends or relatives, in-home nannies and/or home child care providers, both licensed and unlicensed.
We need to ensure that we are doing this. It's two days we're talking about. I think we saw right off the top that there isn't collaboration from the other parties, in particular the Liberals, because, as I said, of course we can talk about this. It was a friendly motion, as you said. It was, okay, no problem, we'll chat about that tomorrow at committee business because we have all these witnesses who have come here to talk about Bill C-35 and how we strengthen this bill, how we fix it and how we ensure that everybody has access.
That's the fundamental part of the bill. That's what's a little frustrating. Is there opportunity here to discuss...? Can we have another amendment to this motion so that we can change the clause-by-clause date to one week later to give us more time? Can we discuss something like that? Is that an option so that we can get to these witnesses, which I think is really important, and so we can ensure that the clerk and everybody can get.... There is so much information, and my colleague across the way doesn't....
I have listened to thousands and thousands of families—thousands—and this bill is not ready to go to the floor.
7:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Bring your comments to the motion as before the floor, which is not the bill. It's the two-day extension. It's the two-day reference, Ms. Ferreri.
7:10 p.m.
Conservative
Michelle Ferreri Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
It is about the two-day reference, because if we could have some collaboration, if the welfare of the child really is at the crux of this discussion, why are we voting “no” to me saying, “Let's talk about it tomorrow”? It makes no sense.
Why did you do that?
Mr. Chair, why did they—
7:10 p.m.
Liberal
Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON
I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.
I would just like to clarify that this process was supposed to be six meetings in total to end on April 18, and this was a friendly motion for the simple reason that we are extending time. I encourage my colleague to stick to her debate on looking at the timelines. That's all I'll ask, Chair.
7:10 p.m.
Liberal
7:10 p.m.
Conservative
Michelle Ferreri Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'm trying to understand that. I'm trying to do the job that we were elected to do, which is to listen to everybody and to try to get it done in a timely manner and to try to get everything in.
How do we make sure that this bill right now....? As it stands right now, quality, affordable child care is a wonderful concept, but if it is not accessible, it does not exist.
These timelines, Mr. Chair, back to the motion—
7:10 p.m.
Liberal
Tony Van Bynen Liberal Newmarket—Aurora, ON
On a point of order, Mr. Chair, we're back to the bill again and not on the issue that's on the floor.
7:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Again, I'll remind you, Ms. Ferreri, to keep your comments to the motion on the floor.
7:10 p.m.
Liberal
7:10 p.m.
Liberal
Michael Coteau Liberal Don Valley East, ON
We have witnesses in the next round. At this point, we have two sets of witnesses, with 7:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. for the second set.
7:10 p.m.
Liberal
Michael Coteau Liberal Don Valley East, ON
At this point, do we have enough time for them to be witnesses?
7:10 p.m.
A voice
There's a vote as well.
