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.
7:20 p.m.
Conservative
Rosemarie Falk Conservative Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK
Okay. Thank you very much, Chair.
I was wondering, because we've had some subbing and I'm just coming in, if that amendment—I think it's a subamendment—could be repeated, please.
I want to make sure. I'm away. I'm virtual. I'm in transition. I want to make sure that I'm not missing what's going on.
7:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Yes, but I do not believe that's a point of order. It's left to committee members to keep themselves current. There was a member sitting in on it.
I will repeat the motion before it's voted on.
Who had the floor? I'm going to Ms. Saks, who had her hand up.
7:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
I'll let Mrs. Gray finish. You interrupted.
Ms. Gray, you have the floor.
7:20 p.m.
Bloc
Sylvie Bérubé Bloc Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC
I want to raise a point of order, Mr. Chair.
First of all, I want to say that it's important to give some time to the witnesses.
I would like to thank them, in fact, for being with us tonight, as well as extend an apology to them.
I would like to know if, because of this discussion, which is very lengthy, the witnesses will be invited to appear again.
7:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Thank you, Madame Bérubé.
That's left to the committee. I am simply the chair. I ensure that the committee functions properly. The discussion currently before the committee is within the committee's order and mandate.
At 7:30, though, the first hour will conclude and the witnesses who were scheduled to appear will be excused. At 7:30, the committee will have to choose.
This is a point of order. Am I clear on that, Madame Bérubé? Okay.
We'll return to Mrs. Gray. The next person who has the floor is Madam Saks.
7:25 p.m.
Conservative
Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'll reiterate that when this was presented—
7:25 p.m.
An hon. member
[Inaudible—Editor]
7:25 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Give me a moment.
Mrs. Gray hadn't concluded. She had the floor when the point of order was raised by Madame Bérubé.
7:25 p.m.
Conservative
Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
There were a couple of points of order there. It's still my time.
Going back to the amendment that we're discussing, the reason we're here is that, in fact, some members of this committee voted down the point that we wanted to discuss this when we had committee business, a discussion literally 14 hours from now. I'm not sure why that was voted down or what the rationale was.
A lot of committees will have a subcommittee. It's usually the vice-chairs who discuss the work of the committee. In this committee, we haven't done that. I brought it up a couple of times. There doesn't seem to be much of a desire for that. We spend a lot of time at this committee talking about what we want to talk about at committee. This committee has a proportionately higher amount of legislation that comes through it than other committees. Legislation always takes precedence.
Again, going back to this amendment here for the 25th—
7:25 p.m.
Liberal
7:25 p.m.
Conservative
Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
I'm setting it up.
Where I'm going with this is that, here we are, having this discussion that could have happened outside of this committee room. On the 25th, I think it's very reasonable, based on the rationale that I've given, that we should allow more time. We're literally talking about a few extra days here. That seems to be very reasonable.
I'll leave it there for now on this amendment. We'll see where it goes.
Thank you.
7:25 p.m.
Liberal
Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON
Thank you, Chair.
With regard to the current amendment of moving the dates along, I do recall from my notes in preparing to come to committee that, on February 3, this committee adopted six meetings that were supposed to conclude on April 18, including clause-by-clause.
The motion that was put forth—and now we're on an amendment of timetables—was really, as mentioned, to put us on track to reset. There's always the opportunity, if we would like, to meet next week with witnesses virtually. I would like to make sure everyone has their time.
This wasn't meant to be a filibuster, as my Conservative colleagues are putting on the floor here. It was that we lost days and I wanted to put us on a calendar track. April 11 gives 12 days for amendments to be submitted and then a subsequent week after that for them to be contemplated, which is well within the normal timeline of committee business. My colleagues are putting down to push it further and further ahead.
I'm trying to keep the committee on the timeline that it set for itself, recognizing that we were supposed to be done this legislation on April 18. The original motion was to begin clause-by-clause on April 18, so to waste witness time.... I'm more than happy to call witnesses back next week, but I'm not supportive of this amendment.
7:25 p.m.
Conservative
Rosemarie Falk Conservative Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK
I have a point of order. My point of order, Mr. Chair, is that committees are their own domain. The parliamentary secretary should not be telling or lecturing our committee on what the schedule should be.
7:25 p.m.
Conservative
Rosemarie Falk Conservative Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK
We hear over and over at the House, and you say yourself, Chair, that the committee is its own domain.
7:25 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
It is and that's why the committee will choose by majority.
Ms. Saks has the floor.
7:30 p.m.
Liberal
Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Certainly the committee is its own domain, which is why I am sharing what the committee's decision was on February 3, which was to complete this entire legislative process by April 18. Out of a genuine desire to hear from witnesses and ensure that the train continues on its track, we provided a timeline to ensure that we could get through this legislation in a timely manner.
I am open to the contemplation of a meeting next week if we have to, to make sure we get all our witnesses in. It's a Passover holiday for me. I will be taking time off to do that out of a commitment to this committee to see this legislation through.
To spend so much time on what was a simple process to keep us on the track is highly disappointing. To see this from my colleagues, who have been filibustering us here for just over an hour, is really unfortunate because the collaborative nature of this was to follow the committee's previous will of February 3 and make sure we're staying on the same page.
Clearly, they are not on the same page. It is unfortunate that the members across the way don't want to contemplate a timeline in an effective manner.
7:30 p.m.
Dr. Christa Japel Representative, Observatoire des tout-petits, Fondation Lucie et André Chagnon
Am I allowed to say something?
7:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
No, Dr. Japel, not at the moment.
It's now gone beyond 7:30. I'm going to suspend.
I will apologize to the witnesses, Ms. Ferreri.
As chair, I am suspending the meeting at 7:30 as was scheduled, so we can transition to the next group of witnesses as per the schedule. The debate can resume at that time if anybody wants the floor.
At this time, I want to thank the witnesses for coming. I would ask that you would simply submit your briefs in writing to the committee, if they have not been.
With that, thank you for coming.
I will suspend the meeting, so we can transition to the next hour.
7:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
I call the meeting back to order.
Committee members, welcome back.
The committee will resume its study of Bill C-35, an act respecting early learning and child care in Canada.
To assist the interpreters in their work, I kindly remind all members and witnesses appearing today to introduce themselves when speaking and to speak slowly. You have the option of speaking in the official language of your choice. Interpretation services are available. Should interpretation services be lost, please get my attention and we'll suspend while they're being corrected.
I'll remind all members and witnesses to direct their questions through, me, the chair, and to wait until I recognize you. Those appearing virtually have a “raise hand” icon at the bottom of their screen. Please use it to get my attention. Again, all comments are addressed through me. I'll remind everybody that screenshots are not allowed in the meeting.
I will introduce the witnesses.
We have appearing now Kim Hiscott from the Andrew Fleck Children’s Services. We have Marni Flaherty, acting chief executive officer of the Canadian Child Care Federation. From the Ontario Association for Independent Childcare Centres, we have Maggie Moser, who is the director and on the board of directors.
Before I turn to the witnesses for their opening statements, the committee was in a discussion when we suspended following the earlier hour.
I see before me Ms. Falk with her hand up.
7:35 p.m.
Conservative
Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
On a point of order, Mr. Chair, I'm wondering if you could please clarify whether you have a speakers list that was carried over from earlier, or if you're starting a new speakers list.
If you have a speakers list, could you let us know who's on it, Mr. Chair?