Thank you, Dr. Geist.
At this time, I would Ike to move a motion that was tabled and moved at the last meeting. However, we didn't have an opportunity to bring it to a vote. It's my hope that, today, we can bring it to a vote quite quickly and go onward.
I'll read the motion into the record:
Given that, the Department of Canadian Heritage, under the leadership of the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, approved ‘anti-racism’ grants upwards of $130,000 to Laith Marouf of the Community Media Advocacy Centre (CMAC), on October 21, 2022, the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez appeared before the Heritage Committee, during which time he was asked by a number of MPs about the date he was made aware of Laith Marouf’s derogatory remarks about Jews and Francophones and the minister reported to the Committee that he was not informed until after August 22, 2022, an article by the Globe and Mail and an Access to Information Request indicate emails circulated from the former Diversity and Inclusion Minister, the Honourable Ahmed Hussein, his former chief of staff, Minister Rodriguez’s former chief of staff, and the deputy minister at Canadian Heritage between August 17th and August 19th, 2022, including one sent to Minister Rodriguez’s personal email account titled “Laith Marouf and antisemitic hate speech,” the Committee invite the former Minister for Canadian Heritage, the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, to appear before the committee as soon as possible for no fewer than two hours to clarify his remarks concerning Laith Marouf, and that the committee report its findings to the House.
Mr. Chair, I have read the motion into the record. My request is clear: that we hear from the former minister of Canadian heritage. He is the one who made the decision or signed off on the $130,000 that went to Laith Marouf. He is, further, the one who requested that the money be paid back. It has not been. Laith Marouf should have been scolded and had the money taken from him far sooner than it was by this minister, who chose instead to turn a blind eye.
It is incumbent upon this minister to come to the committee and explain to us why he made the decision he did or to clarify his previous comments.
I move the motion.