The committee met at 1202 in room 151.

Subcommittee report

The Vice-Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Good morning, everyone. Happy new year to all of you. I wish you a healthy, prosperous and successful new year.

The Standing Committee on Social Policy will now come to order. The business on the agenda is a report from the subcommittee on committee business. Could a member please read the report into the record and move its adoption? MPP Martin.

Mrs. Robin Martin: Thank you, Chair, and happy new year to everybody as well.

Your subcommittee on committee business met on Tuesday, January 14, 2020, to consider the method of proceeding on Bill 141, An Act respecting registration of and access to defibrillators, and recommends the following:

(1) That the committee hold public hearings on Bill 141 in Sudbury and Ottawa on Wednesday, January 29, and Thursday, January 30, 2020.

(2) That the Chair, on behalf of the committee, write to the House leaders and request that a motion be presented to the House authorizing the committee to meet at Queen’s Park from 9 a.m. to 12 noon and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, February 20, 2020, for the purpose of public hearings on Bill 141.

(3) That the Clerk of the Committee, in consultation with the Chair, post information regarding public hearings on Bill 141 on the Ontario Parliamentary Channel, on the Legislative Assembly’s website and with Cision.

(4) That interested presenters who wish to appear before the committee in Sudbury and Ottawa contact the Clerk of the Committee by 5 p.m. on Thursday, January 23, 2020.

(5) That, if all requests to appear for the meetings in Sudbury or Ottawa cannot be accommodated, each of the subcommittee members and/or their designate supply the Clerk of the Committee with a prioritized list of presenters to be chosen from the Clerk’s list by 12 noon on Friday, January 24, 2020.

(6) That, if the committee is authorized to meet at Queen’s Park on Thursday, February 20, the deadline for requests to appear be 9 a.m. on Wednesday, February 19, 2020.

(7) That, if all requests to appear for the meeting at Queen’s Park cannot be accommodated, each of the subcommittee members and/or their designate supply the Clerk of the Committee with a prioritized list of presenters to be chosen from the Clerk’s list by 11 a.m. on Wednesday, February 19, 2020.

(8) That each witness receive up to 10 minutes for their presentation, followed by 20 minutes for questioning, with seven minutes allotted to the government, seven minutes allotted to the official opposition and six minutes allotted to the Liberal Party independent member.

(9) That the deadline for written submissions be 6 p.m. on Thursday, February 20, 2020.

(10) That the research officer provide a summary of the oral presentations from the Sudbury and Ottawa meetings to the committee by 12 noon on Wednesday, February 5, 2020.

(11) That, if the committee is authorized to meet at Queen’s Park on Thursday, February 20, the research officer provide a summary of oral presentations from the meeting by 5 p.m. on Friday, February 21, 2020.

(12) That the deadline for filing amendments to the bill with the Clerk of the Committee be 10 a.m. on Monday, February 24, 2020.

(13) That the committee meet during its regular meeting time from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, February 24, 2020, for the purpose of clause-by-clause consideration of the bill.

(14) That the committee authorize up to one staff person from each recognized party to travel with the committee, space permitting, for the purpose of public hearings on Bill 141 and that reasonable expenses incurred for travel, accommodation and meals be paid for by the committee upon receipt of a properly filed expense claim.

I move adoption of the report.

The Vice-Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Is there any debate? Okay. Are the members ready to vote? Okay. All in favour? So no opposition. The report of the subcommittee is accordingly carried.

Thank you very much—

Interjection.

The Vice-Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Yes, okay.

Mr. Chris Glover: Before we go, can I—I don’t know the process here, and I don’t know whether this is appropriate or not. But I know that there was the Iranian plane crash a couple of weeks ago, and I know that MPP Parsa lost some friends. I’m just wondering if we, as a committee, could take a moment of silence.

The Vice-Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): If there is an agreement, I don’t mind. Okay?

Let’s have a moment of silence for the victims of the plane crash.

The committee observed a moment’s silence.

The Vice-Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Thank you.

On this occasion, I would like to extend my heartfelt condolences to MPP Parsa and all other MPPs who have lost friends, relatives or acquaintances during this tragic accident. May their souls rest in peace. Thank you very much.

If there is no other—MPP Fraser.

Mr. John Fraser: I’ll be very brief. I want to say thank you to the Clerk’s office and to the respective House leaders’ offices for pulling all this together. It came together at very short notice before Christmas. I think there is an opportunity for us to get something done that’s going to be very good here. I’m glad that we’re doing it. But I know it required some effort to get there, and I just wanted to let you know that it’s greatly appreciated.

The Vice-Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): If there is no other business, I would like to adjourn the meeting. All in agreement? Thank you.

The meeting is adjourned.

The committee adjourned at 1210.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL POLICY

Chair / Présidente

Ms. Natalia Kusendova (Mississauga Centre / Mississauga-Centre PC)

Vice-Chair / Vice-Président

Mr. Aris Babikian (Scarborough–Agincourt PC)

Mr. Aris Babikian (Scarborough–Agincourt PC)

Mr. Jeff Burch (Niagara Centre / Niagara-Centre ND)

Mrs. Amy Fee (Kitchener South–Hespeler / Kitchener-Sud–Hespeler PC)

Mr. Michael Gravelle (Thunder Bay–Superior North / Thunder Bay–Supérieur-Nord L)

Mr. Joel Harden (Ottawa Centre / Ottawa-Centre ND)

Mr. Mike Harris (Kitchener–Conestoga PC)

Ms. Christine Hogarth (Etobicoke–Lakeshore PC)

Mrs. Belinda C. Karahalios (Cambridge PC)

Mr. Terence Kernaghan (London North Centre / London-Centre-Nord ND)

Ms. Natalia Kusendova (Mississauga Centre / Mississauga-Centre PC)

Mrs. Robin Martin (Eglinton–Lawrence PC)

Substitutions / Membres remplaçants

Ms. Jessica Bell (University–Rosedale ND)

Mr. John Fraser (Ottawa South / Ottawa-Sud L)

Mr. Parm Gill (Milton PC)

Mr. Chris Glover (Spadina–Fort York ND)

Mr. Michael Parsa (Aurora–Oak Ridges–Richmond Hill PC)

Ms. Sandy Shaw (Hamilton West–Ancaster–Dundas / Hamilton-Ouest–Ancaster–Dundas ND)

Clerk / Greffier

Mr. Eric Rennie

Staff / Personnel

Ms. Erica Simmons, research officer,
Research Services