Evidence of meeting #16 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was removal.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Yes, it's a valid point of order according to the clerk, that that was the original intent of it. It's a valid point of order. Whether or not the committee decides to go that route, it is a valid point of order.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
You have to make a decision on the point of order. It's your decision.
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
On a point of order, there's nothing in the motion that says that we have to call witnesses. The motion is crystal clear.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
The motion is crystal clear, and if you can't read it.... The motion is crystal clear. There's nothing in there about calling witnesses.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
But I have a point of order and it should be dealt with. I think he's prepared to make a decision on that point of order, and we should make that decision before we deal with the substantiveness of the motion.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Yes, and that's a valid point.
Again, the clerk says it's a valid point on whether the briefing is finished, given the fact that the witnesses have indicated that there is additional information to come back. So it's a valid point of order from that point of view, that the briefing has not yet been completed. Included in the motion was the fact that we would hear the briefings from the various individuals who came today, and the fact is that the briefing has not been completed since the members of both departments decided to come back with information. So it is a valid point of order.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
5:10 p.m.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
Mr. Chair, on that point, if you are declaring this motion not in order at this point, I—
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
—but the briefing has not yet been completed. Possibly we need to postpone it a little further to allow the individuals from the Canada Border Services Agency and the department to get back with the additional information that has already been requested of them.
I think we started this whole thing out in that spirit, that we would have briefings. I don't know if there's any great urgency in putting this as a report to the House until we have these individuals come back with the additional information that was requested of them.
So I would rule that it is a valid point of order.
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
Andrew Telegdi Liberal Kitchener—Waterloo, ON
Well, Mr. Chair, I'll challenge you on that ruling because there are no compelling reasons presented by the officials. There were confusing reasons presented by the officials, but there were no compelling reasons why we cannot proceed. Any of the stats they might come forward with are not going to substantially change—
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
Andrew Telegdi Liberal Kitchener—Waterloo, ON
Well, there is, Mr. Chair, because we have people who are being shipped out and we have people who are not working.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Let me put it to Ms. Chow.
Ms. Chow, do you feel there's any great urgency in this? I'd like to resolve this in an amicable fashion. Is there any great urgency in having this completed today, or can we wait until officials get back to us with the information?
5:10 p.m.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
Mr. Chair, let me tell you that in my situation, in my understanding of cases alone, there are people right now who are facing deportation. Whether it is 500 or 700 or 1,000 or 2,000, at this point I do not care whether it is 200 or 5,000. Just because they can't bring the numbers in front of us.... That's the only thing they cannot give to us.
The sooner we can do it, the signal goes out to the department to stop sending police to these poor spouses who are in Canada. They have their application in, they have been waiting for eight months; it's because of the backlog that they get deported. That is not fair. So the sooner we make that decision, the better it is.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Okay. As far as I know right now, Mr. Telegdi has asked if the chair's ruling will be sustained. In other words, he's challenged the ruling.
Do you still wish to pursue that, Mr. Telegdi?