Evidence of meeting #12 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was amendment.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
It's the first part of that motion that I think is causing grief to the government. If we want to debate this, then we'll go into debate.
Mr. Patry.
February 7th, 2008 / 4:45 p.m.
Liberal
Bernard Patry Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I don't even know why we're discussing it.
Following the tabling and release of the government's response, there's no tabling and there's no correspondence. We've been waiting for 10 months. It could be after the next election, and nobody knows when it's going to be.
I would just prefer to have the minister here, or to ask our distinguished colleague when the government intends to give a response. That report is not a report by the committee. For a report by a committee, they need to give a response within three to six months. Whether it takes a year or two years, it looks like they don't intend to respond, because we already have a response.
You can pass all the motions you want, but after the tabling, as we say in French, aux calendes grecques, or forever.
4:45 p.m.
Bloc
Vivian Barbot Bloc Papineau, QC
Ms. Lalonde received a letter from the government—unfortunately I do not have it here with me—advising her that a response was being drafted. I don't know when that was exactly, but it was quite some time ago. This motion is very clear: it calls on the government to provide a response, and nothing more. Therefore, I cannot see why anyone would object. A response is already in the works and all we want is some assurance that we will get one some day, for the sake of future business.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
I'm going to ask that we keep our debate to the amendment and not debate the motion. The amendment is what is before the committee at this point, and the amendment to the motion is the first part of it. We don't yet have an amended motion.
Who was up next here?
Mr. Khan.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
Wajid Khan Conservative Mississauga—Streetsville, ON
It was very encouraging to see that the motion was put forward and the government supported it as is. As in the past, there has been a lot of cooperation and a lot of work has been done. The government went through all the objections.
In my view, it's absolutely appropriate that rather than creating more amendments, arguing and debating, and then leaving at 5:30 for our flights, in the interest of achieving something on this committee, we go back to the original motion.
The position has been indicated by the parliamentary secretary. I'm sure the member who tabled this motion will be pleased that the motion is supported, accepted, and so on. So why do we have to bring about unnecessary and unrequired changes to the motion and go backwards rather than going forward?
I hope Madame Barbot agrees with that and we can accomplish something here.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
Denis Lebel Conservative Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
From the outset, we have been hearing about the Advisory Report on Roundtables. And now, we are going to set this aside and talk about the letter. I simply want to understand what is going on here.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
We aren't talking about the letter; we're talking about the amendment Mr. Wrzesnewskyj moved. That's the point here.
As soon as an amendment is moved, we go into debate on that amendment. According to the table, I'm instructed to try to keep debate to the amendment. Then we will debate the motion as amended if it carries.
Borys.
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
Borys Wrzesnewskyj Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON
My intention in making this amendment was to provide additional clarity. There was some debate as to what was actually transpiring and when the minister would table something.
The motion calls for the minister to appear following the tabling and release of the government's response, but there wasn't clarity as to the timeline. It's been 10 months, so if the government can clarify whether it's a week or two away, it won't be necessary to draw attention to 10 months of inaction on this. It can stay as is, as long as there is a commitment.
Perhaps they would even like to make an amendment committing that the minister will table a response within the next short timeframe. Then I'd be more than happy to remove an amendment that perhaps some on the opposite side see as embarrassing because there has been no action in the last 10 months.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
Borys Wrzesnewskyj Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON
We're debating the whole issue of that. A number of members have said, “Well, 5:30 will roll around”. I'm providing a method for the government to arrive at something concrete that might satisfy Madame Barbot at the same time. It provides the government with an opportunity to do the right thing without having something that references this embarrassing fact of the 10 months it has taken so far.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
4:50 p.m.
Bloc
Vivian Barbot Bloc Papineau, QC
Mr. Chairman, since the motion clearly says that the report was tabled on March 29, 2007, which means that a considerable amount of time has passed since then, I would like to ask my colleague Borys to withdraw his amendment so that we can vote on the motion.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Yes. Now we will go to the main motion and debate.
Madame Barbot, I'll give you the opportunity again to go through your motion.
4:50 p.m.
Bloc
Vivian Barbot Bloc Papineau, QC
I believe we did that last time, Mr. Chairman. It is very clear. I would even ask that you call the vote on the motion.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Unfortunately, I can't when we do these motions, as you know.
Mr. Obhrai.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
I will talk on two points, Mr. Chair.
First, to my friend Borys, there is nothing embarrassing about this 10 months. It may be embarrassing to him, but the point of the matter remains that it was a round table conference. It was a very comprehensive conference. There were a lot of stakeholders who came in there. There were a lot of good recommendations made at the round table conference.
When you have such an extensive study, with all these things on the round table conference, it covers a lot of areas of law as well as other things, as you know, being in the government. It does take time to make a response, because this will have a major impact down the road.
Therefore, the government is, as it said, committed to provide a response to this. We have stated that and we will provide a response. It is not a question of when, but rather when we have finished and are able to do the right work with the right legislation at the right time and not do it on the basis of what you, as the opposition, are pushing us to do. It doesn't work that way.
Secondly, you must listen to my friend Bernard Patry, who happened to be the vice-chair before Mr. Wilfert came, and he had a lot of knowledge. It being an outside report, you cannot force a government to come out with timelines. This was not a report that was tabled in the House.
Angela, am I right?
4:55 p.m.
The Clerk
There are no Standing Orders.
4:55 p.m.
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
There are no Standing Orders that can compel the committee to say you must come down at this time. But in the spirit of what was done at the round table conference, where the government made a commitment to all the stakeholders that the government would be responding, I am saying that if Madame Barbot's only amendment is to say, instead of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the relevant minister, we have absolutely no problem in supporting this amendment.
4:55 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Mr. Obhrai, thank you. That sounds very positive.
We do have one more speaker.
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
Bernard Patry Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
I think I will withdraw and not speak. If he agrees, we'll go right to it, in case he changes his mind.