Evidence of meeting #9 for Canada-China Relations in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chinese.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Clerk of the Committee  Ms. Christine Holke
Lobsang Sangay  Sikyong, President, Central Tibetan Administration
David Mulroney  Former Ambassador of Canada to the People's Republic of China, As an Individual

3:15 p.m.

Conservative

Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC

Mr. Chair.

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Geoff Regan

I'm sorry. I guess you probably had a hand up. This is the problem with not seeing these hands up all the time.

Mr. Albas.

3:15 p.m.

Conservative

Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

As the subcommittee report clearly indicated, there were a number of former ambassadors, including Mr. McCallum, who were invited. I note today that we are going to be speaking with one of the invited guests.

Could I ask the clerk the status of the other two?

3:15 p.m.

The Clerk

The other two, Mr. Wright and Mr. McCallum, have declined the invitation of the committee.

3:15 p.m.

Conservative

Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC

Okay, so they've declined. Is it because they were not able to make it today or have they declined from participating completely? Could you elaborate?

3:15 p.m.

The Clerk

They didn't give me any explanation. They just said they were not available to appear before the committee.

3:15 p.m.

Conservative

Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC

Okay.

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Geoff Regan

All right. Thank you, Mr. Albas.

Now I'll ask the clerk to proceed to—

3:15 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

Mr. Chair, I have a hand raised, but I believe Mr. Harris had his raised ahead of mine.

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Geoff Regan

Okay, I'm having trouble with that. Thank you.

Mr. Harris.

3:15 p.m.

NDP

Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL

I don't know how that hand got raised, Chair, so I'll take it off and pass the floor over to whomever was ahead of me.

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Geoff Regan

I think it's Mr. Genuis.

3:15 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

In light of the clerk's response to Mr. Albas's intervention, I want to propose an amendment to the motion, that we add to the text of the motion “that Canada's former ambassador to the People's Republic of China, the Honourable John McCallum, be summoned to appear before the committee at a time, date and location to be determined by the chair and the clerk of the committee”.

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Geoff Regan

That would be a motion to amend the motion before us. I believe it's in order. I'm not seeing an indication from the clerk otherwise, so I'll now ask the clerk to proceed to a recorded vote on Mr. Genuis's amendment to the main motion.

3:15 p.m.

The Clerk

Okay. The vote is on the amendment.

I need to hear a yes or no: Mr. Virani—

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

Rob Oliphant Liberal Don Valley West, ON

Could I have a point of order?

I would like to have the amendment read. I wasn't prepared for an amendment, and it sounds contradictory to the motion. I want to make sure I understand the amendment and what it is.

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Geoff Regan

I'll ask Mr. Genuis to read his motion to amend, please.

3:15 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

I'm very happy to do that. I think it very much follows in the spirit of the proposal, given the witnesses that people wanted to hear from.

The amendment is “that Canada's former ambassador to the People's Republic of China, the Honourable John McCallum, be summoned to appear before the committee at a time, date and location to be determined by the chair and the clerk of the committee”.

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

Rob Oliphant Liberal Don Valley West, ON

May I speak to the amendment?

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Geoff Regan

I have Mr. Oliphant and then Mr. Bergeron.

3:15 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

On a point of order, Mr. Chair, we're in the middle of a vote.

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Geoff Regan

Mr. Genuis is quite correct. I did ask the clerk to proceed to a recorded vote on the motion.

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

Rob Oliphant Liberal Don Valley West, ON

Mr. Chair, with all due respect, I don't believe you asked if there was any debate on the amendment. I think you missed that part. I would beg that you allow us just a minute for clarification.

3:15 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

Mr. Chair, that's obviously not in order.

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Geoff Regan

Mr. Genuis, Mr. Oliphant is correct. I did not ask for debate on the motion, which clearly I should have done.

So I will—