CONTENTS
Tuesday 26 November 1996
Subcommittee reports
STANDING COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Chair / Président: Mr Richard Patten (Ottawa Centre / -Centre L)
Vice-Chair / Vice-Président: Mr John Gerretsen (Kingston and The Islands / Kingston et Les Îles L)
*Mr David S. Cooke (Windsor-Riverside ND)
*Mr TomFroese (St Catharines-Brock PC)
Mr JohnGerretsen (Kingston and The Islands / Kingston et Les Îles L)
*Mr MichaelGravelle (Port Arthur L)
*Mrs HelenJohns (Huron PC)
*Mr W. LeoJordan (Lanark-Renfrew PC)
Mr GerardKennedy (York South / -Sud L)
Ms FrancesLankin (Beaches-Woodbine ND)
*Mrs JuliaMunro (Durham-York PC)
*Mr RichardPatten (Ottawa Centre / -Centre L)
*Mr TrevorPettit (Hamilton Mountain PC)
*Mr Peter L. Preston (Brant-Haldimand PC)
*Mrs LillianRoss (Hamilton West / -Ouest PC)
*Mr BruceSmith (Middlesex PC)
*In attendance /présents
Clerk / Greffière: Ms Tonia Grannum
Staff / Personnel: Mr Ted Glenn, research officer, Legislative Research Service
The committee met at 1543 in room 151.
SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
The Chair (Mr Richard Patten): Let's convene the meeting of the social development committee. Our first item of business is the report of the subcommittee on committee business which met yesterday. Mr Gravelle, will you read the report into the record?
Mr Michael Gravelle (Port Arthur): I would be pleased to read this into the record. I'll read the first part, which I understand has the mandatory elements of the report.
"Your subcommittee on committee business met on Monday 25 November 1996 on a matter designated pursuant to standing order 125 by Michael Gravelle, MPP (Lib), and agreed as follows:
"(1) That the precise statement identifying the 125 designation read as follows:
"The impact of the Conservative government's funding and funding cuts on persons with disabilities and their families. The hearings should focus on all government-funded services provided to people with disabilities and their families.
"(2) That 10 1/2 hours be allotted for presentations by witnesses, one half-hour be allotted for initial direction to the research office on the first draft of committee's report and one hour be allotted to finalize and approve the committee's report to be presented to the House.
"(3) That the meetings on this subject matter commence on Monday 3 February 1997 (if this date is during the winter recess, then a request be sent to the House leaders asking that the committee be allowed to sit to commence its designation).
"If the House continues to sit in January then the committee would meet concurrently with the House on its regular sitting days to commence the meetings on the designation.
"(4) That the following identified witnesses be invited to appear:
"Veronica Manuel
"ARCH
"Ontario Association of Community Living
"Head Injury Association of London, Gary Davies.
"That additional lists of witnesses from each caucus are to be filed with the clerk of the committee by Monday 9 December 1996."
The Chair: This report is deemed to be adopted.
Mr David S. Cooke (Windsor-Riverside): Just one question. Weren't we actually talking about January 6, or are we leaving that for any particular reason? It just says "January."
Mrs Helen Johns (Huron): My concern with that is if we're not sitting on January 6, we don't want to start committee hearings then, if the House leaders decide it's a different date in January. I wanted to leave the date open and it be the day we start to sit in the House.
Mr Gravelle: I think as long as that's understood.
The Chair: It's our regular sitting day, whenever that date is.
Mr Cooke: This doesn't really say a beginning day in that paragraph.
Mrs Johns: All right.
Mr Cooke: If you want to say "when the House reconvenes" or "on the day that it reconvenes," fine, but it leaves it --
The Chair: Mr Cooke, "on its regular sitting days to commence the meetings on the designation."
Mr Cooke: That would be the first week back.
The Chair: Yes. If it is, then it covers that.
We have another report from the subcommittee. This one is open for discussion and debate. Mr Gravelle, would you read that report.
Mr Gravelle: "Your subcommittee on committee business met on Monday 25 November 1996 on a matter designated pursuant to standing order 125 by Michael Gravelle, MPP (Lib), and further agreed as follows:
"(1) That each witness be allotted one half-hour for their presentation.
"(2) That witnesses be scheduled by the clerk in consultation with the Chair.
"(3) That the research officer prepare related press clippings as background information and that research officer contact the appropriate ministries involved with the subject matter to obtain relevant information."
"(4) That authorization be given to the Chair and the subcommittee to approve the draft report.
"(5) That the final committee report on the designation be translated.
"(6) That requests for payment of witness expenses be brought on a case-by-case basis to the Chair and the subcommittee for final decision."
The Chair: I need a motion for that first and then we can debate it. Will someone move it?
Mr Gravelle: I move that this report be accepted.
Mrs Johns: I believe both Mr Cooke and I had a concern about number 6 in the fact that we wanted to express some focus on electronic and that's not related here. Is that a problem? Does that usually come into the discussion paper here?
The Chair: Perhaps what we can do is you can share with the committee the concerns raised, because there was an understanding that those considerations would be followed.
Mrs Johns: I would like to see number 6 say something like: "That requests for payment of witness expenses be brought on a case-by-case basis to the Chair and the subcommittee for final decisions. When witnesses are identified, we would ask a number of questions to discuss the availability of electronic media" --
Mr Cooke: Why not just put something after this? "The option of teleconferencing" --
The Chair: Or videoconferencing.
Mr Cooke: "or videoconferencing should be offered to out-of-town witnesses." Is that okay?
The Chair: Yes.
Mrs Johns: Thank you.
Mr Gravelle: Can I just say in terms of --
The Chair: The phrasing of this?
Mr Gravelle: Yes and whether or not it is necessary to add this to the list. There's something else I want to ask the research officer, Mr Glenn, to look at.
The Chair: I'll get back to you in a moment.
Clerk of the Committee (Ms Tonia Grannum): Shall I read it?
The Chair: Yes.
Clerk of the Committee: "(6) That requests for payment of witness expenses be brought on a case-by-case basis to the Chair and the subcommittee for final decision and that the option of teleconferences or videoconferences be offered as alternatives to witnesses." The Chair: That's an amendment to the motion. Is everyone in agreement with the amendment? All in favour? It's passed.
Further discussion?
Mr Gravelle: This may not be necessary, because I'm sure that the research officer will be asking this information. But number 3, where it talks about "that research officer contact the appropriate ministries involved with the subject matter to obtain relevant information," one of the areas I certainly want to be able to check on is, I want to have it asked, if possible, "Have there been any programs that are funded for disabled individuals in our province that have been disbanded, have closed down?" That perhaps goes without saying, but I think it's an important question to ask.
Mr Ted Glenn: It's specified in the survey that's going out.
Mr Gravelle: All right. That's fine.
The Chair: Any further comments? A motion to accept the report, as amended? Mr Cooke. All in favour? It's adopted.
Any other items? There being no other items, we will adjourn the committee meeting. I suspect we may not be sitting till after Christmas, so I want to wish you personally all the very best.
The committee adjourned at 1551.