Proceedings of the Subcommittee on Population Health

Issue 1 - Orders of Reference

Extract of the Minutes of Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology of Wednesday, November 14, 2007:

The Honourable Senator Pépin moved:

That the Subcommittee on Population Health be established to study matters which may be referred to it by the main committee;

That the subcommittee consist of a maximum of seven (7) members, three (3) of whom shall constitute a quorum;

That the initial membership of the subcommittee be as follows: the Honourable Senators Callbeck, Cochrane, Cook, Fairbairn, P.C., Keon, and Pépin;

That the subcommittee be authorized to send for persons, papers and records, whenever required, and to print from day to day such papers and evidence as may be ordered by it;

That, pursuant to section 32 of the Financial Administration Act, and section 7, Chapter 3:06 of the Senate Administrative Rules, the committee's authority to commit funds be conferred on the subcommittee;

That, pursuant to section 34 of the Financial Administration Act, and section 8, Chapter 3:06 of the Senate Administrative Rules, the committee's authority for certifying accounts payable be conferred on to the subcommittee;

That the committee's authority, pursuant to paragraph 8 of the Senators Attendance Policy, be conferred on the subcommittee; and

That, subject to the approval of the Senate, the committee's power to permit coverage by electronic media of public proceedings be conferred on the subcommittee.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

Barbara Reynolds

Clerk of the Committee

Extract form the Journals of the Senate of Tuesday, November 20, 2007:

The Honourable Senator Keon moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Watt:

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;

That the papers and evidence received and taken and work accomplished by the Committee on this subject since the beginning of the First Session of the Thirty-Ninth Parliament be referred to the Committee; and

That the Committee submit its final report no later than June 30, 2009, and that the Committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings until 180 days after the tabling of the final report.

After debate,

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

Paul C. Bélisle

Clerk of the Senate

Extract of the Minutes of Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology of Wednesday, November 21, 2007:

The Honourable Senator Trenholme Counsell moved:

That the order of reference adopted by the Senate on November 20, 2007 regarding 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, be referred to the Subcommittee on Population Health.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

Barbara Reynolds

Clerk of the Committee