Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Social Affairs, Science and Technology

Issue 10 - Minutes of Proceedings

OTTAWA, Monday, June 14, 2010
(21)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology met this day at 5:02 p.m., in room 160-S, Centre Block, the chair, the Honourable Art Eggleton, P.C., presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Champagne, P.C., Cordy, Di Nino, Dyck, Eggleton, P.C., Greene, Martin, Ogilvie and Seidman (9).

In attendance: Daniel Thompson, Analyst, Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament.

Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, March 18, 2010, the committee continued its study on accessibility of post-secondary education in Canada. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 1.)

WITNESSES:

Citizenship and Immigration Canada:

Erica Usher, Senior Director, Geographic Operations.

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada:

Chris Greenshields, Director, International Education and Youth Division;

Jean-Philippe Tachdjian, Deputy Director and Trade Commissioner, Edu-Canada International Promotion of Education in Canada.

Canadian Bureau for International Education:

Karen McBride, President.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research:

Pierre Chartrand, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer and Vice-President, Research Portfolio.

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada:

Margaret McCuaig-Johnston, Executive Vice-President.

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada:

Gisèle Yasmeen, Vice-President, Partnerships.

The chair made a statement.

Mr. Greenshields and Ms. Usher each made a statement and, together with Mr. Tachdjian, answered questions.

At 6:08 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 6:11 p.m., the committee resumed.

Ms. McBride made a statement and answered questions.

At 6:59 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 7:04 p.m., the committee resumed.

Mr. Chartrand, Ms. McCuaig-Johnston and Ms. Yasmeen each made a statement and, together, answered questions.

At 8:49 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

OTTAWA, Wednesday, June 16, 2010
(22)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology met this day at 4:38 p.m., in room 2, Victoria Building, the Honourable Art Eggleton, P.C., Chair, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Callbeck, Champagne, P.C., Cordy, Demers, Dyck, Eaton, Eggleton, P.C., Martin, Merchant, Ogilvie, Plett and Seidman (12).

In attendance: Daniel Thompson, Analyst, Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament.

Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, March 18, 2010, the committee continued its study on accessibility of post-secondary education in Canada. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 1.)

WITNESSES:

Department of Finance Canada:

Chris Forbes, General Director, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy Branch;

Baxter Williams, Director, Personal Income Tax Division, Tax Policy Branch.

Industry Canada:

Robert Dunlop, Assistant Deputy Minister, Science and Innovation Sector.

The chair made a statement.

Mr. Forbes, Mr. Williams and Mr. Dunlop each made a statement and, together, answered questions.

At 5:57 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

OTTAWA, Thursday, June 17, 2010
(23)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology met in camera this day at 10:32 a.m., in room 705, Victoria Building, the chair, the Honourable Art Eggleton, P.C., presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Callbeck, Champagne, P.C., Cordy, Demers, Dyck, Eaton, Eggleton, P.C., Martin, Merchant, Ogilvie, Plett and Seidman (12).

In attendance: Havi Echenberg and Daniel Thompson, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, March 18, 2010, the committee continued its study on accessibility of post-secondary education in Canada. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 1.)

Pursuant to rule 92(2)(f), the committee considered an outline of its draft report.

It was agreed that the deputy chair be authorized to seek authority from the Senate for the following order of reference:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology be authorized to examine and report on Canada's pandemic preparedness;

That in particular the committee be authorized to examine issues concerning Canada's past pandemic preparedness, lessons learned from the response to the 2009 pandemic virus (H1N1), the roles of all levels of government in pandemic preparedness, and Canada's future pandemic preparedness;

That the committee's examination include processes and ethical issues related to pandemic preparedness;

That the committee submit its final report no later than October 31, 2010, and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize findings of the Committee until January 31, 2011.

At 12:17 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Jessica Richardson

Clerk of the Committee