Foreign Affairs Committee on Dec. 13th, 2006

[Keith Martin, Liberal, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

I think our amendment will clarify the concern the government is mentioning. If you look at my amendment, which is 256772, it really rewords paragraph 9(a) and says “the total amount spent by the Government of Canada on official development assistance in the previous fiscal year”. So that is very clear, and I think it will probably clarify the concern the government has expressed.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Okay.

Mr. Patry.

[Bernard Patry, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

I don't know what you're talking about.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

We're talking about CPC-2. It amends clause 9 by replacing lines 8 to 28 on page 5 with the following:

(1) The Minister shall cause to be submitted to each House of Parliament, within twelve months after the termination of each fiscal year or, if that House is not then sitting

Do you have that?

Mr. Casey.

[Bill Casey, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, NS]

I just noticed here that it says in paragraph 9(1)(b),

a summary of the annual report submitted by the Committee under section 8;

Didn't we just do away with clause 8?

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

He's correct.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Are you looking at amendment L-5?

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

No, he's looking at paragraph 9(1)(b).

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Yes, there will be consequential changes, editorial changes—I guess they'd be amendments—that will come from some of the things that we have done, and those will be reflected later.

[Bill Casey, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, NS]

If you look at the reports that are listed here, it just seems to me an onerous list of reports. I think an annual report should be adequate, and that's my proposal.

The proposal here—I don't have to read it to you—is to have a report containing a description of any activity; a summary of the report; a summary of the annual report submitted on Bretton Woods, and they already do that anyway, so why duplicate it; a summary of any representation by Canadian representatives with respect to priorities and policies of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund; a summary of department performance; and a statistical report on the disbursement of development assistance within one year. It just seems to be an onerous, repetitive bunch of reports.

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

It's already done. We're only asking for a summary.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Are we ready for the question?

(Amendment negatived)

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

All right. Now we will move to amendment L-5.1, reference number 2566772, on clause 9.

Mr. Martin.

[Keith Martin, Liberal, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

I'll give you a second to find it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

I want to tell the committee, we're scheduled to go until 5:30. I know there are some flights that are going to be caught out of here, and others have meetings beginning at six, so my intention is to drop the hammer at 5:30 if we aren't....

Go ahead, Mr. Martin.

[Keith Martin, Liberal, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

I'll read this out, Chair, and hopefully we can get through this very quickly.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

I think we can.

[Keith Martin, Liberal, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

It says,

the total amount spent by the Government of Canada on official development assistance in the previous fiscal year;

That is paragraph 9(1)(a).

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Does everybody have it?

[Bernard Patry, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

What's going to happen to amendment NDP-11, then?

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Amendment NDP-11, that is the one. There is a line conflict with amendment NDP-11. Pass that on to Madam McDonough. If we carry amendment L-5.1, amendment NDP-11 cannot be put. Is that all right?

[Alexa McDonough, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Yes, that's fine. Let's move. Call the question.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

All right.

Does anyone want to speak to amendment L-5.1?

Mr. Menzies.

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

We're just trying to get the paperwork in front of us.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Yes, that's what we're doing here.

I'll read it again:

That Bill C-293, in Clause 9, be amended by replacing line 15 on page 5 with the following: