Evidence of meeting #1 for Afghanistan in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was deadline.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Clerk of the Committee  Ms. Miriam Burke

8:05 p.m.

NDP

Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC

Can you send it to all of our P9s? I didn't get it either.

8:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal

Madam Clerk, could you send it to the P9s?

I will suspend the meeting for a few minutes to fix this, and then we'll come back.

8:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal

I call the meeting back to order.

Could you please confirm if all members received the text of the motion?

8:10 p.m.

A voice

Yes.

8:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal

Madam Kwan, did you get it?

8:10 p.m.

NDP

Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC

Yes. I just got it. I'm looking at it now.

8:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal

I will open the floor for discussion on this one.

Go ahead, Madam Zahid, and then Mr. Sidhu.

8:10 p.m.

Liberal

Salma Zahid Liberal Scarborough Centre, ON

Thank you, Chair.

I agree with that. I would also agree with Ms. Damoff's suggestion of adding more organizations to this motion. It would be right to add more organizations and not restrict ourselves to the ones that are mentioned in the motion.

8:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal

Go ahead, Parliamentary Secretary Sidhu.

December 13th, 2021 / 8:10 p.m.

Liberal

Maninder Sidhu Liberal Brampton East, ON

It's a great motion presented by my colleague. Canada was one of the top 10 donors to Afghanistan before the turn of events. There are a lot of organizations that we need to hear from about the important work that they were doing in Afghanistan, from supporting women and girls to our food program.

I like the wording change suggestion of “and other organizations”. I'm just worried that.... I really want to get viewpoints from different organizations into what the situation on the ground is—because these organizations have direct ties—and how we can assist in humanitarian efforts. I understand Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe's urgency on this one.

Instead of three meetings as you suggested, five meetings would be ample time. We should also set a date for when these witnesses should be submitted so that we can get to work. I don't know what date is the will of the committee for when we can submit these witnesses to the committee.

8:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal

The next speakers are Madam Kwan and Madam Damoff, and then I'll come to you.

8:15 p.m.

Conservative

Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON

On a point of order, are we on the amendment now? If so, what is the amendment on the floor?

Are we on the main motion?

8:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal

We are on the main motion with a friendly amendment.

8:15 p.m.

Conservative

Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON

What is the amendment?

8:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal

Madam Damoff, do you want to repeat that?

8:15 p.m.

Liberal

Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON

Originally, I said “other organizations”, but while we were suspended, Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe pointed out to me that it already says “and NGOs working in Afghanistan”, so I don't think that particular wording is needed.

Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe is going to amend his own motion to a certain number of meetings. Can he do that? If not, I would amend it to five meetings.

8:15 p.m.

Bloc

Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC

I think you should do that.

8:15 p.m.

Liberal

Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON

If I amend your motion, we're going to debate the number of meetings.

8:15 p.m.

Bloc

Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC

Yes.

8:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal

Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe cannot amend his motion. You have to bring forward an amendment. We can have a discussion on the amendment first.

8:15 p.m.

Liberal

Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON

I was going to amend it to five meetings, but a little birdie told me there might be consensus for four meetings, so I would amend it to be four meetings.

8:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal

Can you read it again, please?

8:15 p.m.

Liberal

Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON

I would change the word “three” to “four” in relation to the meetings.

8:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal

Is there any discussion?

8:15 p.m.

Conservative

Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON

Thank you, Mr. Chair, for clarifying that.

We're on the amendment to amend the motion to four meetings. I support that, Mr. Chair.

Thank you very much.