Evidence of meeting #139 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was anderson.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Matthew Green NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
I would have understood the honourable member, who's very learned, had they had said it was relevance, and I would have responded to a point of order on relevance.
In this amendment, we're looking to remove people. I believe that there could be the potential to expand the list of people, because I am curious about this.
If I had Mr. Boissonnault here, I would ask him directly if Francheska Leblond—or Francheska Quach, or whatever alias she's used—in any way, shape or form, had any connection whatsoever with GHI. I would want to know that. In fact, I would be interested—because maybe I couldn't take Mr. Boissonnault's word for it—in what she would have to say for this, so if we're in this process now of removing people or adding people, just know that there could be the possibility of subamendments.
Again, Mr. Chair, looking at all this stuff, the fact that this was part of the story back in July but didn't actually get dealt with in this committee just shows how twisted this whole affair is. I won't move a subamendment to the amendment, but I will say I have questions about Francheska Leblond's business relationship with Mr. Anderson and whether or not there was any connection directly or indirectly with Mr. Boissonnault.
This is because when we're talking about integrity and ethics, I think business dealings with people who are under investigation, although not charged, for smuggling massive amounts of cocaine.... I'm not a conspiracy theorist. I am from Hamilton Centre. I would say if your other business is in imports and exports and your business partner is attached to somebody connected to smuggling, there are lots of questions still to be asked.
Those are my remarks. Thank you.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
Thank you, Mr. Green.
I see Mr. Housefather's and Mr. Bains' hands up. I have you on the main motion. I don't have you on the amendment. Is that correct?
It is. Okay.
The other thing I want to let committee members know is that I have asked the clerk to get us as much time as we need to deal with this issue.
Ms. Khalid, please go ahead.
Liberal
Iqra Khalid Liberal Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I just want to clarify.
From my understanding, you put it to the committee that Ms. Ghaoui wanted to come and that you would invite her, and I believe that nobody in this committee disagreed. That's the only reason that I'm asking for that name to be removed from the motion; it's because my understanding is that she has been invited to come and that you are working on scheduling it in already, so it doesn't make sense for us to be redundant in the motion before us today.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
The motion indicates that Ms. Ghaoui is to appear. We have agreed as a committee that she's to appear. If redundancy is the issue, then I'll leave it to the committee, but you did move an amendment, so we're going to deal with the amendment. If it's the will of committee to remove her from that list, then we'll proceed on that basis.
I don't see—
Liberal
Iqra Khalid Liberal Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON
Mr. Chair, I just want to clarify that removing her from the list does not mean that we are not inviting her to this committee.
Liberal
Iqra Khalid Liberal Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON
My understanding is that she has already been invited—
Liberal
Iqra Khalid Liberal Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON
—and that you are working on scheduling her in. That is why I'm asking for her to be removed from the motion.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
We have reached out and we've been given an indication of her willingness to appear before the committee. There have been some circumstances that have prevented her from coming before the committee up to this point. Right now, the indication that we have is roughly around December 16, I believe.
Madam Clerk, isn't it around that time? Okay.
I have to deal with what I have in front of me, and that is the motion and the amendment to remove her. I don't have any other discussion on this issue on the amendment, so do I have consensus on the amendment?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
Okay, then I'm going to call the roll on the amendment and we'll go from there.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
Well, I have to deal with what I have in front of me, Ms. Khalid, and that's what I'm trying to do here.
Liberal
Iqra Khalid Liberal Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON
I'm sorry. That wasn't for you, Mr. Chair. I wasn't saying that about you.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
It's motion, amendment, vote. That's the way it works around here.
Go ahead, Madam Clerk.
The Clerk of the Committee Ms. Nancy Vohl
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
The vote is on the amendment by Ms. Khalid.
We have five yeas and five nays.
Conservative
The Clerk of the Committee Ms. Nancy Vohl
Mr. Green, you are next on the list on the main motion.