Evidence of meeting #9 for Declaration of Emergency in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was laws.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Joint Clerk of the Committee  Mr. Paul Cardegna
François Daigle  Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General of Canada, Department of Justice
Peter Harder  Senator, Ontario, PSG
Joint Chair  Hon. Gwen Boniface (Senator, Ontario, ISG)
Claude Carignan  Senator, Quebec (Mille Isles), C
Larry W. Campbell  Senator, British Columbia, CSG
Jenifer Aitken  Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Central Agencies Portfolio, Department of Justice
Rob Stewart  Deputy Minister, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

9:25 p.m.

The Joint Chair Hon. Gwen Boniface

Just so you are aware, before you adjourn, I need to put another one on the....

9:25 p.m.

NDP

The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green

Okay, I just want to make sure we have agreement by the committee.

We're going to go to Mr. Motz and then Mr. Naqvi.

9:25 p.m.

Conservative

Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB

Thank you, Chair.

If we look back at our work plan from before, we felt that former chief Sloly needs a panel of his own for an hour and a half at the very least. I'm just trying to find the actual—

9:25 p.m.

NDP

The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green

We could split them up. We could have Mr. Sloly in the first session and the other two in the second.

9:25 p.m.

Conservative

Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB

Who are the other two gentlemen you mentioned, Mr. Green?

9:25 p.m.

NDP

The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green

I've just been informed that the OPP is confirmed for the first section, so we'd have them in and we now have a choice between Mr. Sloly for an hour and a half or the other folks who were involved in a tangential way.

9:25 p.m.

An hon. member

We want Sloly by himself.

9:25 p.m.

NDP

The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green

Okay. Mr. Motz, is that all?

We'll go to Mr. Naqvi.

9:25 p.m.

Liberal

Yasir Naqvi Liberal Ottawa Centre, ON

Thank you, Chair.

I was going to suggest we definitely have Mr. Sloly. It is important that he present to this committee.

I'm not too sure about Mr. Bordeleau and Mr. Torigian in terms of the value. However, I think a person we should also invite and hear from is Mayor Watson, who was very central to all of this.

9:25 p.m.

NDP

The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green

He's on the list.

9:25 p.m.

Liberal

Yasir Naqvi Liberal Ottawa Centre, ON

I was going to suggest that, if we were going to invite two people, then perhaps the other person could be Mayor Watson, but I hear that....

You had mentioned three names, so I just wanted to suggest that. Thank you.

9:25 p.m.

NDP

The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green

It sounds like we have worked it out.

In summary, on the 21st we'll be having the OPP in the first hour, and then we will invite Mr. Sloly. We will know at the next meeting if he cannot avail himself to the committee for whatever reason, and then we'll make adjustments accordingly. Do we have consensus around the table on that?

9:25 p.m.

Liberal

Yasir Naqvi Liberal Ottawa Centre, ON

Can I make a suggestion?

If Mr Sloly is not available, can we then consider Mayor Watson instead and see if he's available?

9:25 p.m.

NDP

The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green

It works. We'll put him on as a backup for the clerk's consideration at the time.

For the record, that's by unanimous consent for that part of the schedule.

Excellent. I'll now turn the floor over to Senator Boniface.

9:25 p.m.

The Joint Chair Hon. Gwen Boniface

I've spoken to all members and I am wondering if I could put a motion forward moving that the clerk consult with all members to see if we would have availability in September.

The thought has been to put two full days together prior to returning on September 19. It will depend on availability, so I thought perhaps we should canvass that to start with and then we can seek approval of the leadership if that's the next step.

9:25 p.m.

NDP

The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green

Members, you've heard the proposition put forward by Senator Boniface.

Mr. Motz, did you want to intervene?

9:25 p.m.

Conservative

Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB

Yes.

We've talked about it amongst our group. We certainly want to get at the business of this committee. We're amicable to that. I'm not sure where my Liberal colleagues are in relation to their caucus meetings prior to the return of session. Ours are that Wednesday and Thursday, September 14 and 15.

9:25 p.m.

An hon. member

Ours are one day before that.

9:25 p.m.

Conservative

Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB

So yours are the Tuesday and Wednesday.

9:25 p.m.

NDP

The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green

Why don't we have the clerks work that out? We obviously have that as well. I think the motion is just the intention to work out the availability.

9:25 p.m.

An hon. member

At the very least, we have Monday.

9:25 p.m.

Conservative

Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB

Yes. Monday for sure we can have—

9:25 p.m.

NDP

The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green

If we just agree to it in....

I'm sorry. Go ahead, Ms. Bendayan.

9:25 p.m.

Liberal

Rachel Bendayan Liberal Outremont, QC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I was going to suggest September 15 and 16. To Mr. Motz's point, we are in meetings until September 14, end of day.

I think September 15 and 16 would work well for us, but I understand that September 15 might be difficult for you, colleagues.

9:25 p.m.

Bloc

The Joint Chair Bloc Rhéal Fortin

September 15 and 16 aren't possible for me.