Evidence of meeting #4 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 afghanistan.
A recording is available from Parliament.
1:10 p.m.
Conservative
1:10 p.m.
Bloc
Caroline St-Hilaire Bloc Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC
Since I clearly understood that Mr. Wilfert did not agree to this nice amendment, I move that we vote on the motion as it currently stands.
1:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
We've been debating the amendment, right?
We're going to have two votes. We're going to have a vote on the amendment that he brought forward, and Mr. Obhrai wanted to speak before we do that.
1:10 p.m.
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
I don't understand why she keeps trying to shut me up by saying I can't do this thing. It's my right to speak.
Let me just make it very clear here. The minister is eager, let me tell you. This will be the first time the minister is going to come in front of the committee to discuss a range of issues that need to be discussed. The difficulty we are having is that every motion keeps saying we want the minister. Let's get the minister at the appropriate time to discuss. And he has indicated his desire as a new foreign minister to appear in front of the committee to do that. Therefore, that is not the issue about this thing.
I am saying on the wording here that in light of the fact—let me talk, hold your horses—that this situation is critically important and needs to be done as quickly as possible here, the matter is the language. I am understanding and what I heard from the other Liberal members talking about political heat—We are not talking about political heat here. What we are talking about here is, as the mover of the motion said, he wants to get an update on the Islamic situation in Pakistan. It's not about playing politics and saying the minister is not coming.
Let me just say this; don't shut me up.
So I am saying my amendment that says “all” just perfectly well fits in with the intent of this thing here and that we would say that when it is appropriate, the minister, during his scheduled time, will come in front of the committee.
1:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
All right, thank you. That's good.
Remember that this committee has only been going since after November...whatever day we got reconstituted here. So we've only met for two weeks. This is our fourth meeting--
1:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
And in that period of time the minister has been in Laos, and we do have him invited to come and speak on Afghanistan. So he is coming on Afghanistan.
He probably knows that every motion we have here calls for the Minister of Foreign Affairs to appear on this vitally important issue, and they all are.
1:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
The question is on the amendment to the motion.
(Amendment negatived)
1:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
All right. The amendment fails, so we'll have the question on the motion, Mr. Wilfert's motion.
(Motion agreed to) [See Minutes of Proceedings]
1:10 p.m.
Conservative
1:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
On Thursday we have what? All right, we have Afghanistan coming. We will cut short. We will leave the last 15 minutes for motions.
Again, if you have a motion—I'm not going to leave 15 minutes every meeting—you have to let us know that you want to deal with committee business. You have to let us know.
We're adjourned.
