Legislative Assembly of Ontario

The committee met at 0900 in committee room 2.

Rowan’s Law (Concussion Safety), 2018 Loi Rowan de 2018 sur la sécurité en matière de commotions cérébrales

Consideration of the following bill:

Bill 193, An Act to enact Rowan’s Law (Concussion Safety), 2018 and to amend the Education Act / Projet de loi 193, Loi édictant la Loi Rowan de 2018 sur la sécurité en matière de commotions cérébrales et modifiant la Loi sur l’éducation.

The Chair (Mr. Peter Tabuns): Good morning, committee members. I’m calling this meeting to order for clause-by-clause consideration of Bill 193, An Act to enact Rowan’s Law (Concussion Safety), 2018 and to amend the Education Act.

Brad Warden from legislative counsel is here to assist us with our work. A copy of the numbered amendments received on Wednesday, February 28, 2018, is on your desk. The amendments have been numbered in the order in which the sections appear in the bill.

Before we start, are there any questions from committee members? Yes, Mr. Fraser.

Mr. John Fraser: Can we bundle, where appropriate?

The Chair (Mr. Peter Tabuns): Oh, yes. I will be proposing a fair amount of bundling, sir.

Mr. John Fraser: Okay, thank you.

The Chair (Mr. Peter Tabuns): There being no questions, I propose that we bundle sections 1 to 5 for the vote. Are people agreeable? Okay.

Shall sections 1 to 5 carry? Carried.

The Clerk of the Committee (Ms. Jocelyn McCauley): Inclusive.

The Chair (Mr. Peter Tabuns): Inclusive, sorry. Carried. Thank you. It’s a wonderful thing, having a Clerk. The reduction in error is tremendous.

We now go to section 6. We have government motion number 1. Mr. Fraser.

Mr. John Fraser: We have two similar motions right here and we all agree on this, so we’re going to withdraw our motion just out of courtesy, because a member on the other side did mention it first. I would just like to withdraw.

The Chair (Mr. Peter Tabuns): Fair enough. Thank you very much.

We then go to PC motion number 2. Mr. Coe, would you like to move that?

Mr. Lorne Coe: Thank you, Chair. On subsection 6(4) of the bill: I move that subsection 6(4) of the bill be amended by striking out “every two years” and substituting “every year”.

The Chair (Mr. Peter Tabuns): Any discussion? Ms. Fife.

Ms. Catherine Fife: We, of course, will be supporting this motion, as was discussed during our full day of delegations. It speaks to the original intent, I think, that Mr. Fraser, Ms. MacLeod and myself brought forward during the first private member’s bill, which was just simply to create greater accountability and transparency around the recommendations.

While the discussion at delegations centred around “Should it be a legislative report or should it be a public report?”, I think the important part is that there is a line of accountability and a way for people to be transparent about how Rowan’s Law is actually rolling out. If there are any issues identified throughout that reporting structure, then there’s an opportunity for us to address them. I think there has been enough goodwill throughout this entire process to ensure that, if problems do arise, not only will the advisory committee that worked on Rowan’s Law but the MPPs who have been a part of this process—they will ensure that there is not just the reporting structure but that there’s a way to address gaps in service, if they are identified.

The Chair (Mr. Peter Tabuns): Mr. Fraser.

Mr. John Fraser: I fully concur that this is something that we are all in agreement on. The nature of the report—where it lies or where it sits—is not as important as the substance and how we go forward with that. The transparency and the regular reporting, I think, is the key piece in this. We’re very proud to support the motion.

The Chair (Mr. Peter Tabuns): Excellent. You’re ready for the vote? Shall the motion carry? Carried.

Shall section 6, as amended, carry? Carried.

I’m going to propose bundling here sections 7 to 10. Are you agreeable to that?

Ms. Ann Hoggarth: Good idea.

The Chair (Mr. Peter Tabuns): Shall sections 7 to 10, inclusive, carry? Carried.

Shall the title of the bill carry? Carried.

Shall Bill 193, as amended, carry? Carried.

Shall I report Bill 193, as amended, to the House? Yes.

That’s it. Thank you all. Ms. Fife.

Ms. Catherine Fife: Just a quick commentary: Thank you very much, Chair, for navigating us through this piece of legislation. I just want to thank Mr. Fraser and, of course, Ms. MacLeod and the government for ensuring that this piece of legislation is moving so quickly through the House. When my daughter asks me if this job is worth it, I’ll be able to point to Rowan’s Law and say yes unequivocally.

The Chair (Mr. Peter Tabuns): Thank you to all of you. The meeting stands adjourned.

The committee adjourned at 0905.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL POLICY

Chair / Président

Mr. Peter Tabuns (Toronto–Danforth ND)

Vice-Chair / Vice-Présidente

Miss Monique Taylor (Hamilton Mountain ND)

Mr. Lorne Coe (Whitby–Oshawa PC)

Mr. Mike Colle (Eglinton–Lawrence L)

Mr. Vic Dhillon (Brampton West / Brampton-Ouest L)

Mr. John Fraser (Ottawa South L)

Ms. Ann Hoggarth (Barrie L)

Mrs. Gila Martow (Thornhill PC)

Mr. Ted McMeekin (Ancaster–Dundas–Flamborough–Westdale L)

Mr. Peter Tabuns (Toronto–Danforth ND)

Miss Monique Taylor (Hamilton Mountain ND)

Substitutions / Membres remplaçants

Ms. Catherine Fife (Kitchener–Waterloo ND)

Mrs. Amrit Mangat (Mississauga–Brampton South / Mississauga–Brampton-Sud L)

Clerk / Greffière

Ms. Jocelyn McCauley

Staff / Personnel

Mr. Bradley Warden, legislative counsel