Evidence of meeting #11 for Afghanistan in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was officials.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Heidi Hulan  Assistant Deputy Minister and Political Director, International Security and Political Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Cindy Termorshuizen  Associate Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Peter MacDougall  Assistant Deputy Minister, Global Issues and Development, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Clerk of the Committee  Ms. Miriam Burke
Paul Thoppil  Assistant Deputy Minister, Asia Pacific, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Julie Sunday  Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Consular, Security and Emergency Management, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

7 p.m.

Bloc

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

How is national security affected by whether or not a legal opinion has been provided?

7 p.m.

Liberal

Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC

Ultimately, the most important thing to know right now is whether we can help Canada change things on the ground in Afghanistan.

7 p.m.

Bloc

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

Has a legal opinion been provided or not?

7 p.m.

Liberal

Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC

Any opinion sent to the minister is necessarily secret, as my colleague knows very well.

7 p.m.

Bloc

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

I hope the journalists are listening to this.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister.

7 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal

Thank you very much, Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe.

Now we'll go to Madam Kwan for six minutes.

Please go ahead.

7:05 p.m.

NDP

Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Thank you to the minister and her officials for coming to our committee.

Has your office received any legal briefings from Justice on how Canada can ensure those doing humanitarian aid work are not going to be deemed to be in violation of Canada's anti-terrorism law?

7:05 p.m.

Liberal

Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC

You're essentially asking questions similar to what Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe asked me in French, Jenny.

My answer would be similar to what I said in French, which is that if it's the position of the NDP, in the context of this committee, regarding the fact that there should be an amendment to the Criminal Code, which doesn't have an impact on—

7:05 p.m.

NDP

Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC

Thank you, Madam Minister—

7:05 p.m.

Liberal

Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC

I'm sorry. I just want to finish my answer—

7:05 p.m.

NDP

Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC

I'm sorry. I'm going to interrupt.

Mr. Chair, I'm just going to interrupt for a minute. I don't need to get the answer in English, because I heard it through translation, Mr. Chair.

7:05 p.m.

Liberal

Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC

No, Mr. Chair. I will finish my answer.

7:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal

Could I take a moment, please?

7:05 p.m.

NDP

Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC

It is my time, so I would like to actually ask questions—

7:05 p.m.

Liberal

Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC

I will just finish my answer—

7:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal

Please—

7:05 p.m.

Liberal

Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC

Yes, please go ahead, Mr. Chair.

7:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal

I'm sorry. From now on, I would ask all honourable members to go through the chair so that I can control this better. I would love to give time for the minister to respond. If a member has to interrupt, then they should come through the chair and let me be respectful of the time.

Please go ahead, Madam Kwan.

7:05 p.m.

NDP

Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC

On a point of order, Mr. Chair, I just want to get clarification with you, then. I asked the minister a question which was basically a yes-or-no answer. I don't need the minister to tell me in English what she said in French, because we have fantastic interpreters who are doing that job. I am wearing my headpiece and I can understand the answer.

I'm actually seeking an answer, not a repeat of the answer. If I could direct the minister to answer the question, Mr. Chair—

7:05 p.m.

Liberal

Yvan Baker Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON

I have a point of order, Chair.

7:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal

Go ahead, please.

7:05 p.m.

Liberal

Yvan Baker Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON

Chair, I think the issue here is just that the member asked a similar question and the minister was giving a similar response. I think that if the member didn't want a similar answer she shouldn't have asked a similar question. I also think it's important to be cordial. Literally three seconds into the minister's response, the minister was interrupted. I just don't think that's respectful.

Chair, I just think that the minister should be given at least a few moments to respond to the question, basically, before the member jumps in, whether it's through you or otherwise.

7:05 p.m.

NDP

Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC

I'm sorry, Mr. Chair, that really wasn't a point of order, though.

I would appreciate actually an answer. It was a different question.

7:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal

Madam Kwan, let's stop it here.

Madam Kwan, if you could give me a few seconds now, as you know, I have always been respectful. I've never intervened when you've had direct conversation, but for the sake of argument, let's talk through the chair, and then I will make a decision.

Even if the minister takes a few seconds longer, I will make sure, Madam Kwan, that your time has been compensated. I have stopped the watch, okay?

7:05 p.m.

NDP

Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC

Okay.