Evidence of meeting #35 for Public Safety and National Security in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was elcock.
A recording is available from Parliament.
October 25th, 2010 / 3:55 p.m.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Mr. Minister, last week, on October 20, during question period I, along with my colleague from the Bloc, asked you questions in the House of Commons about the allegations of CSIS director Richard Fadden that there were politicians in the country who were under the influence of foreign governments. You responded to these questions as follows:
Mr. Speaker, I will be at the committee on Monday.
3:55 p.m.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
You said:
Mr. Speaker, I will be there on Monday. The member can ask me any question that she likes.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Mr. Davies, I remind you again that today we aren't here on the estimates; we aren't here specific to CSIS; and we aren't here on Mr. Fadden. We are here on the G-8 and G-20. So we expect that the question being asked will have relevance to the issue on which we have invited the minister and his colleagues at the desk. If you don't have a question on that, we'll move to the next.
3:55 p.m.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Mr. Chairman, don't worry. I have lots of questions on the G-20. The minister himself said he would be here and the member could ask any question she likes. So it's up to the minister. He said that in the House. Maybe the minister could speak for himself.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
The agenda is quite clear. We're here to conduct a study of the G-20 issues surrounding security. Mr. Davies is going off on questions that could be handled in other matters if he's unsatisfied with the answers he's received. This is not the forum. I'm asking, Mr. Chair, that we stick to the agenda.
4 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
I'm not even going to take that as a point of order. I've made a decision on this one. We'll just continue with the questions specific to the.... If you are asking about CSIS' responsibility, if any, in the G-8 and G-20, I'll accept the question. But if not, we'll proceed to the next.
4 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Holland Liberal Ajax—Pickering, ON
On that point of order, very quickly, the solution is very simple: Minister, come before this committee. There is absolutely no reason.... Do it, Minister. You owe it to this committee.
4 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
I didn't take it as a point of order. That's debate. We're now on debate.
Mr. Davies, continue, please.
4 p.m.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Mr. Chairman, I just hope my time wasn't being taken for all those interjections.
4 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
My ruling came out of your time. Mr. Rathgeber's and Mr. Holland's interjections did not. So continue.
On a point of order.
4 p.m.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
Mr. Chairman, point of order.
On October 20, 2010, the Minister of Public Safety said, and it is written in the verbatim report, that he would come before us to respond to all of our questions. He has refused to come to this room and take the time to discuss the matter with us. You are now telling us that...
4 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Madam Mourani, we've already been through this. In fact, if you recall from our last meeting, we've made an ability to deal with that at a later time.
I think we'll just proceed with Mr. Davies.
4 p.m.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
The minister has therefore been forbidden untruthful. Very well, I understand.
4 p.m.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'll proceed with this in the House with the minister on a different date.
Mr. Minister, I read this statement. There's not one word in this statement about the mass arrests or the widespread violations of civil liberties or the illegal searches or the unlawful arrests. This is the largest mass arrest in Canadian history. I'm a little surprised and disappointed with that.
I'm going to ask you pointedly and directly who was responsible for the decision to arrest some 900 innocent Canadians?
4 p.m.
Conservative
Vic Toews Conservative Provencher, MB
I don't know anything about the guilt or innocence of people. That's not my task to make that determination.
I know it's typical of the NDP to ask political people to get involved in police operations. I don't do that, and it would be inappropriate for me to do that. You know that. To politicize what is essentially a police operation is entirely inappropriate.
You can ask all the various police departments that have the lawful authority to make those decisions, but as a politician, even as a minister, I do not have that authority. It would be highly inappropriate for me to intervene in a political way in the independence of any policing agency.
As I've indicated—
4 p.m.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
You're not going to filibuster the question. After all, you've already been ducking on Mr. Fadden--
4 p.m.
Conservative
Vic Toews Conservative Provencher, MB
I'm not filibustering. Let me just finish.
There are agencies—