Evidence of meeting #1 for Special Committee on the Canadian Mission in Afghanistan in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was steering.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:10 a.m.
Conservative
9:10 a.m.
Liberal
Ujjal Dosanjh Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Let's be candid with each other. I think this is the issue the committee will focus on to begin with. We left off with that before Christmas. This doesn't preclude any other business being discussed in the committee, either in the middle of it or after it or even before it.
And insofar as the steering committee is concerned, this is the committee, and this committee can, in its discretion, give direction to the steering committee or pre-empt the steering committee in these kinds of decisions.
So let's move on this. There are other recommendations that might come from the steering committee. We can consider those.
This debate is kind of useless.
9:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Well, debate is never useless, Mr. Dosanjh. One of the things you'll find is that debate is never useless.
9:10 a.m.
Liberal
Ujjal Dosanjh Liberal Vancouver South, BC
But ultimately this is the issue we're going to focus on first. I think you'll find that the majority of the committee wants to do that.
9:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
I agree, and I think you're probably right.
The other point to remember, though, is that this meeting was initially called to elect the chair and to deal with our routine motions. I don't think it's out of order to say that we have a steering committee Monday and let's look at those motions then. If there are other motions that come in... Your motion is in order; it can be debated here today. But debate is never meaningless.
Madam Lalonde.
9:15 a.m.
Bloc
Francine Lalonde Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
Mr. Chair, as you yourself said a little earlier, we are going to debate this issue anyway, for all kinds of reasons, especially since it is a debate that had started and was rudely interrupted for too long. If we had been able to continue this debate, we would have already finished and we could have used the conclusions for our future work.
I am sure that there are other issues to be tackled. That is crystal clear, but we cannot abandon this issue without resolving it. The steering committee will study how the debates are going to take place. This committee must agree to continue the work that we have begun. I think that is perfectly normal and it will prevent us from continuing to waste time.
9:15 a.m.
Liberal
Bryon Wilfert Liberal Richmond Hill, ON
Mr. Chairman, I agree with Mr. Hawn that obviously there will be other issues that we'll probably be dealing with at some point, but the fact is that the committee was undertaking a study. Maybe if the wording had been “continue with” the study...
We all know that we're going to deal with the detainee issue, so it seems to be a bit of a moot point. We're simply confirming what we've already been engaged in for the last number of months.
I agree with you, Mr. Chairman, that in fact this is really stating the obvious. This motion is not exclusive. It doesn't in any way suggest that we're not going to deal with any other issues. I've spoken before about what happens post-2011.
Let's deal with the issue at hand. We were dealing with the detainee issue. Let's finish the detainee issue. The steering committee would only recommend, presumably, the same thing, that this is what we're going to be dealing with.
Mr. Chairman, we have the motion. It's in order. I suggest we vote on the motion that's before the committee. The steering committee will probably come back as well with other issues that we can deal with in the future. I say we get on with it.
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
9:15 a.m.
NDP
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
I'm not going to belabour the point, but if there's going to be an attempt by some Conservative members to derail the Afghan detainee study through a debate or otherwise, we might as well have that debate here and get it over with. Certainly I am determined, on this side, as I believe my colleagues here are, that we should continue this Afghan detainee study. It is the Afghanistan committee. There are many other issues that we need to deal with. This is obviously still of pressing concern to members. I think we should indicate that today. The steering committee can add other things to it.
My understanding of the steering committee role was also so that we might not lose time. People can submit witness lists to the steering committee. Perhaps arrangements to have someone testify next week can be in order. Rather than waste another week, have the steering committee report and have a debate next week about whether we'll continue the Afghan detainee study. I think that's not what this committee should be doing.
I recognize, of course, that procedurally you might do it that way, but we're already on this road. Let's stay there unless the majority of this committee decides otherwise.
9:15 a.m.
Bloc
Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
I do not want to repeat everything that has been said, Mr. Chair. The fact is that this committee is sovereign. If a majority decides to continue the Afghan detainee study, then we will do so. If we decide that we have done enough, we will stop. If we decide to move to a different topic, we will do so. It is the committee that makes the decision.
If we had not been delayed first by a boycott and then by prorogation, our work would have been well underway. We might have finished dealing with the file. In short, we are just going to continue.
I sense the committee's willingness to continue the Afghan detainee study. As long as the committee does not decide otherwise, we will go with the majority.
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Thank you very much, Mr. Bachand, for that observation.
Mr. Hawn.
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
Well, we can do the math, Mr. Chair. That's fine. Let's deal with this one.
I have another motion, and then I have a comment relative to Monsieur Bachand's last comment as well.
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
Just for your information, this thing is not working. I cannot understand what the interpreter said.
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Mr. Obhrai, I would encourage you to turn it to the right station.
9:20 a.m.
Some hon. members
Oh, oh!
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
It's working on this one. Either do that or get a new earpiece.
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
I hate it when cellphones are left on in committee meetings. From here on in, all members please respect the committee and shut your phones off.
Now, to my understanding, Mr. Harris did move his motion.
Mr. Hawn, you basically summarized it as “do the math”.
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
All right.
If there's no more debate on this motion, then we will vote on the motion by Mr. Harris.
(Motion agreed to) [See Minutes of Proceedings]
Mr. Hawn, you mentioned that you had a motion.