Canadian Heritage Committee on May 8th, 2007

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

The French is fine. We're just changing the English.

[Maka Kotto, Bloc, Saint-Lambert, QC]

I understand, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Again, would you like to speak to the motion, sir?

[Maka Kotto, Bloc, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Since the members of the government did not support the first motion, which was expected, we drafted this second motion in the event this first step failed, in order to accomplish what we set out to do, which was to obtain information justifying Ms. Oda's invitation to provide a list of special events in our ridings. If the motion is approved, it could also lead to a debate in the House, unlike the first motion. It is a question of transparency: the public would be informed of what exactly is going on.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Okay, thank you.

Mr. Abbott.

[Jim Abbott, Conservative, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

Again, I would propose the same amendment, the deletion of the words “Quebec and Canada”. It's the intention of the government members to vote in favour of the motion if it is amended.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Would anyone else like to speak to the amendment?

Mr. Kotto.

[Maka Kotto, Bloc, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Mr. Chair, I would like my colleague to clearly and honestly tell us why this time he is reiterating that he wants to remove the words “Quebec” and “Canada”.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Mr. Abbott.

[Jim Abbott, Conservative, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

Well, in reading this, “in the interests of the organizations that may be eligible for assistance” covers the entire topic. There is no reason for the words “Quebec and Canada” to be there. Because of the distinction that our friends in the Bloc Québécois make between Canada and.... If I may, for Madam Bourgeois, I believe she will find that the motion in the House that was accepted by the House was to recognize the Québécois as a nation, not Quebec. There is a very important distinction there.

In this instance, because this issue of Québécois, Quebec, Canada, is an issue in Canada, whether we like it or we don't like it, the inclusion of “Quebec and Canada” in this motion doesn't add anything. As a matter of fact, it adds a distraction to the motion. The government couldn't possibly support this as currently written. This is why we're asking for the exclusion of the words “Quebec and Canada”.

(Amendment agreed to)

(Motion as amended agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Gary Schellenberger]

Thank you.

The meeting is adjourned.