Canada-China Relations Committee on April 12th, 2021

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Mr. Genuis.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

As eager as I am to see our first budget in two years, assuming it will be twice as long, I don't think it will be realistic for us to finish reading it before the committee or even in the subsequent 24 hours. Given that the budget speech will be over, I suggest we continue on with the important work of this committee.

I have no objection to the schedule as laid out.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

In terms of the question about Ms. Bartholomew, would members prefer to hear from her for a full hour on her own?

I'm assuming you would like to hear from her for a full hour on her own, unless I see indications otherwise.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Montarville, QC]

Who exactly are we talking about, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

We are talking about Ms. Bartholomew, the chair of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

Mr. Paul-Hus, you have the floor.

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Chair, I am trying to follow the discussion. I have the table in front of me. What are we talking about? Are there any changes to the list of witnesses who were supposed to appear? Perhaps I missed something.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Madam Clerk, perhaps you could help us.

[The Clerk of the Committee, Ms. Marie-France Lafleur]

Of course. Thank you.

We had invited Mr. Waterhouse and Mr. Bowe, from the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, to appear on April 19, but Mr. Bowe preferred that the chair appear in his place.

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Okay, that's the part I had missed. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Madam Clerk, that's very helpful in understanding why there were changes to the witness list. Thank you.

Mr. Lightbound, you have the floor.

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Chair, we have to determine whether Ms. Bartholomew will be appearing in the first hour of the April 19 meeting or whether we'll have a separate hour for her. If it's the latter, we have to decide which meeting it will be at. Is that already planned? Our schedule calls for our work to be completed by the end of May. When will that one-hour meeting take place?

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

My understanding is that Ms. Bartholomew is replacing someone lower down in the hierarchy of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. The individual we invited indicated that it would be best for us to hear from the chair of the commission. So we will hear from Ms. Bartholomew for one hour.

I must also mention that the clerk has asked Mr. McGuinty to appear before the committee, but he has not agreed to do so.

Mr. Paul-Hus, you have the floor.

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

I would like to know why Mr. McGuinty refused the invitation. He can still give us information about the report without detracting from his obligations.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Madam Clerk, I think Mr. McGuinty said that he didn't want to appear before the committee, is that right?

[The Clerk]

That's right.

He didn't give me a specific reason, he just declined the invitation.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Mr. Genuis.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Maybe the clerk can clarify the rules. My understanding is that parliamentarians have a unique privilege with respect to not appearing, even if they are asked to. Does the intelligence review committee on parliamentarians have a vice-chair or a co-chair? We could send an invitation to the next appropriate person, since there was a desire to hear from someone from that committee.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Madam Clerk, do you know if that's the case?

[The Clerk]

I'm checking that right now. I'm not sure. I can ask whether someone else would be willing to come in for Mr. McGuinty.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Mr. Genuis, are you...? Can I go now to Mr. Lightbound?

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Yes. I'd like to hear back from the clerk, maybe in a few minutes, once we have that answer, but we have certain limitations when it comes to Mr. McGuinty's choosing not to appear. It was an important perspective. The intelligence review committee of parliamentarians has tabled a public report, and I think we would like to hear about it. That's the context in which the request was made, and if he doesn't wish to appear, maybe the vice-chair would be appropriate.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Okay.

We'll continue with Mr. Lightbound, followed by Mr. Bergeron and Mr. Harris.

Mr. Lightbound, you have the floor.

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Forgive me for being fussy, but normally when we deal with committee business, it's in camera.

Is it okay for this meeting not to be in camera?

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Madam Clerk, can you clarify that?

[The Clerk]

Yes, of course.

We do both. The meeting can be public or in camera. At the moment, our meeting is public, but that is the choice of the committee members.