Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Social Affairs, Science and Technology
Issue 19 - Orders of Reference
Extract form the Journals of the Senate of Wednesday, February 21, 2007:
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Trenholme Counsell, seconded by the Honourable Senator Munson:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology be authorized to examine the state of early learning and child care in Canada in view of the OECD report Starting Strong II, released on September 21-22, 2006 and rating Canada last among 14 countries on spending on early learning and child care programs, which stated ". . .national and provincial policy for the early education and care of young children in Canada is still in its initial stages. . . and coverage is low compared to other OECD counties;'' and
That the Committee study and report on the OECD challenge that ". . .significant energies and funding will need to be invested in the field to create a universal system in tune with the needs of a full employment economy, with gender equity and with new understandings of how young children develop and learn.''
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Extract form the Journals of the Senate of Wednesday, November 28, 2006:
The Honourable Senator Keon moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Segal:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology be authorized to examine and report on the impact of the multiple factors and conditions that contribute to the health of Canada's population — known collectively as the social determinants of health — including the effects of these determinants on the disparities and inequities in health outcomes that continue to be experienced by identifiable groups or categories of people within the Canadian population;
That the Committee examine government policies, programs and practices that regulate or influence the impact of the social determinants of health on health outcomes across the different segments of the Canadian population, and that the Committee investigate ways in which governments could better coordinate their activities in order to improve these health outcomes, whether these activities involve the different levels of government or various departments and agencies within a single level of government;
That the Committee be authorized to study international examples of population health initiatives undertaken either by individual countries, or by multilateral international bodies such as (but not limited to) the World Health Organization; and
That the Committee submit its final report to the Senate no later than June 30, 2009 and that the Committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings until December 31, 2009.
After debate,
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Extract form the Journals of the Senate of Wednesday, June 28, 2006:
The Honourable Senator Eggleton, P.C. moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Fraser:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology be authorized to examine and report on current social issues pertaining to Canada's largest cities. In particular, the Committee shall be authorized to examine:
(a) poverty
(b) housing and homelessness
(c) social infrastructure
(d) social cohesion
(e) immigrant settlement
(f) crime
(g) transportation
(h) the role of the largest cities in Canada's economic development
That the study be national in scope, with a focus on the largest urban community in each of the provinces;
That the study report proposed solutions, with an emphasis on collaborative strategies involving, federal, provincial and municipal governments;
That the Committee submit its final report no later than December 31, 2007, and that the Committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings until March 31, 2008; and
That the Committee be permitted, notwithstanding usual practices, to deposit any report with the Clerk of the Senate, if the Senate is not then sitting; and that the report be deemed to have been tabled in the Chamber.
After debate,
With leave of the Senate and pursuant to rule 30, the motion was modified to read as follows:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology be authorized to examine and report on current social issues pertaining to Canada's largest cities. In particular, the Committee shall be authorized to examine:
(a) poverty
(b) housing and homelessness
(c) social infrastructure
(d) social cohesion
(e) immigrant settlement
(f) crime
(g) transportation
(h) the role of the largest cities in Canada's economic development
That the study be national in scope, with a focus on the largest urban community in each of the provinces;
That the study report proposed solutions, with an emphasis on collaborative strategies involving, federal, provincial and municipal governments; and
That the Committee submit its final report no later than December 31, 2007, and that the Committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings until March 31, 2008.
After debate,
The question being put on the motion, as modified, it was adopted.
Paul C. Bélisle
Clerk of the Senate