HESA Committee Meeting
Notices of Meeting include information about the subject matter to be examined by the committee and date, time and place of the meeting, as well as a list of any witnesses scheduled to appear. The Evidence is the edited and revised transcript of what is said before a committee. The Minutes of Proceedings are the official record of the business conducted by the committee at a sitting.
For an advanced search, use Publication Search tool.
If you have any questions or comments regarding the accessibility of this publication, please contact us at accessible@parl.gc.ca.
Minutes of Proceedings
The Chair presented the First Report from the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, which read as follows:
Your subcommittee met on Tuesday, February 25, 2020, to consider the business of the committee and agreed to make the following recommendations:
- That the committee proceed to its future studies in the following order:
- Palliative care
- Primary care models
- Assisted dying and mental illness
- National dental care program
That, in relation to the study of palliative care in Canada, committee members submit their prioritized witness lists, with the witnesses’ complete contact information, to the Clerk of the committee no later than Tuesday, March 3, 2020 at 12:00 p.m.
That, with regards to the meeting of Monday, March 9, 2020, one hour be dedicated to a briefing with officials from the Department of Health in relation to the study of palliative care in Canada, and one hour be dedicated to the consideration of the work plan prepared by the analysts in relation to this study.
Debate arose thereon.
It was agreed, — That the First Report from the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be concurred in, by a show of hands: YEAS: 9; NAYS: 1.
Robert Kitchen moved, — That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(1)(a), the committee order all documents, including briefing notes, memos, emails, text messages, and summaries of phone calls prepared for the Minister of Health, Minister of Transport, Minister of Public Safety, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister of National Defence regarding the outbreak of the coronavirus, no later than February 28, 2020.
Debate arose thereon.
Mike Kelloway moved, — That the motion be amended by:
a) replacing the words ‘’order all documents, including briefing notes, memos, emails, text messages, and summaries of phone calls’’ with the words ‘’request briefing notes and memos’’;
b) replacing the words ‘’February 28’’ with the words ‘’March 26’’;
c) adding, after the word ‘’2020’’, the following: ‘’; that matters of Cabinet confidence and national security be excluded from the request; and that any redactions to protect the privacy of Canadian citizens whose names and personal information may be included in the documents, as well as public servants who have been providing assistance on this matter, be made by the Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel of the House of Commons’’.
Debate arose thereon.
Matt Jeneroux moved, — That the amendment be amended by:
a) replacing the words ‘’request briefing notes and memos’’ with the words ‘’order all documents, including briefing notes, memos, emails, text messages, and summaries of phone calls’’;
b) replacing the words ‘’March 26’’ with the words ‘’March 3’’; and
c) deleting the words ‘’Cabinet confidence and’’ .
Debate arose thereon.
By unanimous consent, the subamendment was withdrawn.
The Committee resumed consideration of the amendment of Mike Kelloway, — That the motion be amended by:
a) replacing the words ‘’order all documents, including briefing notes, memos, emails, text messages, and summaries of phone calls’’ with the words ‘’request briefing notes and memos’’;
b) replacing the words ‘’February 28’’ with the words ‘’March 26’’;
c) adding, after the word ‘’2020’’, the following: ‘’; that matters of Cabinet confidence and national security be excluded from the request; and that any redactions to protect the privacy of Canadian citizens whose names and personal information may be included in the documents, as well as public servants who have been providing assistance on this matter, be made by the Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel of the House of Commons’’.
The debate continued.
Matt Jeneroux moved, — That the amendment be amended by:
a) replacing the words ‘’request briefing notes and memos’’ with the words ‘’order all documents, including briefing notes, memos, emails, text messages, and summaries of phone calls’’;
b) replacing the words ‘’March 26’’ with the words ‘’March 15’’; and
c) adding, after the words ‘’Canadian citizens’’, the words ‘’and permanent residents’’.
After debate, the question was put on the subamendment of Matt Jeneroux and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:
YEAS: Don Davies, Tamara Jansen, Matt Jeneroux, Robert Kitchen, Luc Thériault, Len Webber — 6;
NAYS: Darren Fisher, Mike Kelloway, Marcus Powlowski, Sonia Sidhu, Tony Van Bynen — 5.
The Committee resumed consideration of the amendment of Mike Kelloway, as amended, — That the motion be amended by:
a) replacing the words ‘’order all documents, including briefing notes, memos, emails, text messages, and summaries of phone calls’’ with the words ‘’order all documents, including briefing notes, memos, emails, text messages, and summaries of phone calls’’;
b) replacing the words ‘’February 28’’ with the words ‘’March 15’’; and
c) adding, after the word ‘’2020’’, the following: ‘’; that matters of Cabinet confidence and national security be excluded from the request; and that any redactions to protect the privacy of Canadian citizens and permanent residents whose names and personal information may be included in the documents, as well as public servants who have been providing assistance on this matter, be made by the Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel of the House of Commons’’.
The debate continued.
Luc Thériault moved, — That the amendment be amended by:
a) replacing the words ‘’memos, emails’’ with the words ‘’memos and emails from senior officials’’; and
b) deleting the words ‘’, text messages, and summaries of phone calls’’.
Debate arose thereon.
Marcus Powlowski moved, — That the sitting be suspended.
The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 5; NAYS: 2.
At 4:29 p.m., the sitting was suspended.
At 4:35 p.m., the sitting resumed.
After debate, the question was put on the subamendment of Luc Thériault and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:
YEAS: Mario Beaulieu, Don Davies, Darren Fisher, Mike Kelloway, Marcus Powlowski, Sonia Sidhu, Tony Van Bynen — 7;
NAYS: Tamara Jansen, Matt Jeneroux, Robert Kitchen, Len Webber — 4.
The Committee resumed consideration of the amendment of Mike Kelloway, as amended, — That the motion be amended by:
a) replacing the words ‘’order all documents, including briefing notes, memos, emails, text messages, and summaries of phone calls’’ with the words ‘’order all documents, including briefing notes, memos and emails from senior officials’’ ;
b) replacing the words ‘’February 28’’ with the words ‘’March 15’’; and
c) adding, after the word ‘’2020’’, the following: ‘’; that matters of Cabinet confidence and national security be excluded from the request; and that any redactions to protect the privacy of Canadian citizens and permanent residents whose names and personal information may be included in the documents, as well as public servants who have been providing assistance on this matter, be made by the Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel of the House of Commons’’ .
The question was put on the amendment of Mike Kelloway, as amended, and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:
YEAS: Mario Beaulieu, Don Davies, Darren Fisher, Mike Kelloway, Marcus Powlowski, Sonia Sidhu, Tony Van Bynen — 7;
NAYS: Tamara Jansen, Matt Jeneroux, Robert Kitchen, Len Webber — 4.
The committee resumed consideration of the motion of Robert Kitchen, as amended.
After debate, the question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:
YEAS: Mario Beaulieu, Don Davies, Darren Fisher, Mike Kelloway, Marcus Powlowski, Sonia Sidhu, Tony Van Bynen — 7;
NAYS: Tamara Jansen, Matt Jeneroux, Robert Kitchen, Len Webber — 4.
The motion, as amended, read as follows:
That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(1)(a), the committee order all documents, including briefing notes, memos and emails from senior officials, prepared for the Minister of Health, Minister of Transport, Minister of Public Safety, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister of National Defence regarding the outbreak of the coronavirus, no later than March 15, 2020; that matters of Cabinet confidence and national security be excluded from the request; and that any redactions to protect the privacy of Canadian citizens and permanent residents whose names and personal information may be included in the documents, as well as public servants who have been providing assistance on this matter, be made by the Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel of the House of Commons.
Howard Njoo, Heather Jeffrey, Calvin Christiansen and MGen T. J. Cadieu made statements and, with Cindy Evans, answered questions.
At 5:40 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.