Finance Committee on Nov. 5th, 2020

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

On a point of order, Mr. Chair—

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Yes, Mr. Julian.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

—I would just add that it should be “as was originally justified in sections” instead of “as would be justified in sections”.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Where do you see that?

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

What we're talking about is that it's about the same documents that were excluded as a result of cabinet confidences “as was...justified”.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Just hold on. Where in the motion are you referring to that, Peter?

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

It's as we get to the exclusion. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have shut that window.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

I like dealing with paper, not these units, to be honest.

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Central Nova, NS]

Yes, I know.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

It's “as was justified originally by sections...69(1) through 69(3)(b)(ii) of the Access to Information Act”.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

It's at “as would be justified”.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

It is “was justified”, right? We're talking about the same—

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

You're saying to change “would be” to “was”?

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Yes, to “as was justified originally”. I think the order then becomes very clear, both in terms of the original pile of documents but also the original exclusions on the basis of cabinet confidence. That certainly would make it very clear, I think, on both counts.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

The change would be, then, with what Pierre put in and then “without any redaction, omission or exclusion, except as was justified in sections...”. Is that right?

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Yes, “as was originally justified”. It's the first pile of paper.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Okay.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Sean, I just want to make sure of this. I know that I read it out slowly and meticulously, but I just want to make sure that we're all leaving with the same understanding.

What do you have as wording, then, Sean?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Central Nova, NS]

I was actually just going to ask, because I got distracted when Peter made his submission, although I don't think it's problematic.

Is it possible for the clerk to resend to committee members the full body with both Pierre's and Peter's suggested changes?

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Do you have that, Madam Clerk?

Yes, the clerk will send that.

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

I would also ask that it be in both official languages.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Yes. That's a good point, Gabriel.

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Central Nova, NS]

Mr. Chair, are we going to briefly suspend so we can review what the clerk circulates?

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

We'll have the clerk send out the information, if she could, in both languages.

We'll suspend—

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Madam Clerk, my staff will be sending you an email as well, just so you that have my spoken words in writing.

Thank you.