Evidence of meeting #92 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was employers.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:05 p.m.
Liberal
12:05 p.m.
Liberal
Paul Chiang Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I appreciate the member opposite's motion. However, given the importance of having invited the UN special rapporteur, the topic of closed work permits, the issues at hand with seasonal workers and the report that was put out about this, it puts us in a position where we should and must discuss and debate this UN special report finding so we can have a better understanding of what direction they're looking at for this closed work permit issue.
To me, it is so important that we treat our workers fairly. I believe we treat our temporary foreign workers, seasonal workers and farm workers fairly in Canada. I'm not saying there are no bad apples, but the bad apples are small numbers. We should look at our temporary foreign workers, respect the work they do and welcome them here, because without them, we are not going to put food on our tables. They are a very important cog in the wheel of our system.
For us to bring this motion up at a time when we have such an important person—one we tried so hard to get to speak at this committee—is not good for us. It shows a lack of respect for the special rapporteur, and for his busy schedule and his time. I think the topic we are discussing here is important. We should look at that and give him his due respect.
Why don't we take a vote on this matter, Mr. Chair?
12:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal
Mr. Chiang, I have a speaking list.
Mr. Maguire has withdrawn his name. Now I have only Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe on the list. Mr. Ali and Ms. Zahid raised their hands earlier, but their hands are down.
Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe, you are on the speaking list. Do you want to take your name off? Then I can go to the vote.
12:10 p.m.
Bloc
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
I wanted to propose that we move to a vote right away instead of continuing the debate.
12:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal
Thank you.
There are no more speakers on the list.
I would ask the clerk to take a vote.
12:10 p.m.
Liberal
12:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal
We are voting on Mr. Kmiec's motion.
(Motion agreed to: yeas 11; nays 0)
12:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal
Now we go back to the special rapporteur.
We'll start the clock again.
Mr. Kmiec.
12:10 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
I'll complicate it further. I'm going to hand over my time to Mr. Maguire.
12:10 p.m.
Liberal
Arielle Kayabaga Liberal London West, ON
I'm sorry, Mr. Chair, but I am confused. If it was his turn and he used his six minutes to move a motion, don't we move to the next speaker? He used a lot of his six minutes to move a motion. Technically, his six minutes are done. We shouldn't go back to another six minutes when he already used—
12:10 p.m.
An hon. member
He didn't get his round.
12:10 p.m.
Liberal
12:10 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
Mr. Chair, I believe the rule is this: If we proceed to a motion and commence debate, it's a different matter being considered by the committee. Then it returns to whatever was left of my time prior to the motion being moved.
12:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal
Absolutely, and that's what time I am respecting right now.
Go ahead, Ms. Kayabaga.
12:10 p.m.
Liberal
Arielle Kayabaga Liberal London West, ON
Mr. Chair, can we get a clear understanding of how much time he used and how much time he has left? I know he doesn't have six full minutes.
12:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal
I'm going to suspend the meeting for a couple of minutes, and I'll get back to you.
12:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal
I call the meeting back to order.
I had a discussion with the clerk, and the floor is with the Conservatives for the remaining time of five minutes.
We'll go to Mr. Maguire, and then we'll go to the Liberals for five minutes. We'll have two and a half minutes for Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe and two and a half minutes for Ms. Kwan, and then we'll call this—
12:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal
He was seven seconds into the round, so he basically has five minutes.
This is my call as the chair, and I'm not going to waste any more time.
I'm going to Mr. Maguire for five minutes less seven seconds.
Go ahead, please.
12:10 p.m.
Conservative
Larry Maguire Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Of course, that is the ruling that you would come up with because it is the rule. Thank you, again.
I just want to finish some of the questions that I had earlier, Mr. Obokata.
Our farmers in Canada have gone through a great deal. I know we're talking about the type of process we have here and the closed system we have, and there are reasons for that. I acknowledged that in my earlier remarks.
To have it as a normal practice—I think that was Mr. Obokata's answer—to make a preliminary statement rather than publishing your assessment and recommendations in the full report is concerning.
I've tried to make the point that it was so important to meet with farmers, and I just want to ask another quick one as well.
To the special rapporteur, you mentioned in one of your other answers that you met with the shellfish industry as well. Did you meet with any of the fishermen?
12:15 p.m.
Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery, United Nations, As an Individual
No, I did not meet with fishermen.
12:15 p.m.
Conservative
Larry Maguire Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB
It was with associations again.
I asked if you could name a couple of the farming associations that you met with. Can you do that?
