Evidence of meeting #49 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was afghanistan.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:40 a.m.
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
Exactly. How many did you open?
That is what we are talking about, which is how a government—
9:40 a.m.
An hon. member
[Inaudible--Editor]
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
How a government runs, Mr. Chair.... A government closes here or puts a resource there. This is how government....
They did it. They did it for 31. There were 31 closures over there, and now they want to tell us that, sorry, we can't do this, and they go on a rumour that does not even exist. How do you expect us to support something that—
9:45 a.m.
NDP
Alexa McDonough NDP Halifax, NS
Well, a point of order is actually to challenge your right to speak to something that isn't in the motion, because the motion has been amended, if you were listening. Any reference to “decision” was removed. It absolutely indicates that there is concern, not about an after-the-fact decision but about proposals for up to 19.
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
9:45 a.m.
NDP
Alexa McDonough NDP Halifax, NS
No, no. It's a point of order. He's not speaking to the motion. He's speaking to a motion that no longer exists.
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Well, there are no closures. That's the point. I think Madam McDonough's point here is that we would have—
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
But I was talking also about the proposed.... I am having difficulty here. When I speak, everybody starts mumbling and not allowing me the floor to speak.
9:45 a.m.
NDP
Alexa McDonough NDP Halifax, NS
Make the motion and you'll be fine. If it's in a motion, you won't be out of order.
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
Don't you think I have the right to speak?
If you don't like what I'm speaking about, that's fine, but I have my right to speak. Let me speak. When you speak, I don't say anything.
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
All I'm saying, Mr. Chairman, is that there is no proposal that the amendment is talking about. This thing is just about how the government is run, but I can tell you very clearly that the government will ensure that the taxpayers' money is spent very.... That is the intent. I can tell you that as part of any government, it is a review, and therefore it is difficult to propose a motion that comes out of the air or is based on a rumour. Therefore, it is not possible with this thing. So I want to make it very clear that what you are doing over here as the proposal, or your amendment, is based solely on a rumour, not on facts or anything. I don't think the Government of Canada is going to run, or a committee is going to run, based on a rumour.
That's what I have to say.
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Thank you very much, Mr. Obhrai, for that eloquent comment.
Madame Barbot.
9:45 a.m.
Bloc
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Mr. Wilfert, did you want to speak?
We'll call the question on Mr. Wilfert's motion as amended.
(Motion agreed to)
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
The motion is carried.
All right. We're going to proceed with a notice of motion from Mr. Wilfert:
That the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade--
We're going to have to make a little change here because our committee is not the international trade committee. We'll still call this motion acceptable.
That the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development invite the Hon. Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and the Hon. Helena Guergis, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and International Trade, to appear before the Committee at the earliest opportunity to answer questions pertaining to the murders of Domenic and Nancy Ianiero in Cancun, Mexico.
Mr. Wilfert, would you like to speak to your motion, please?
