Foreign Affairs Committee on June 21st, 2006

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Mr. Martin.

[Keith Martin, Liberal, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

May I suggest that we add a friendly amendment to ask the feasibility of using.... Ken, that accomplishes exactly what you want. I put that forward, and let's vote on the amendment.

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

The problem with this is that the member on the other side already said he does not agree with the law interpretation anyway. That is why we are having a problem. You just said you do not agree with this international law that heads of states cannot be brought in front of the--

[Keith Martin, Liberal, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

No.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

What he'd been told from the department is--

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

What we are saying to you is that we need time here.

[Keith Martin, Liberal, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

The way to reconcile this is to look at the...[Inaudible--Editor]...because that addresses exactly your concerns.

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

It's like Kevin said, you are forcing us into a corner here by putting things out there.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Out of all of them, I like Bernard Patry's the best.

[Bernard Patry, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Thank you, Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

But I would like him to read it again. Could you please get the writing in English—the interpreter does a great job—and could you include that feasibility part?

[Keith Martin, Liberal, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

I want to vote on the motion that I put forward with Madame Guarnieri's amendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Okay, so it's not a friendly amendment that Mr. Patry has with the mover. I'm going to ask the clerk to read the motion, as amended by Mr. Martin and by Madame Guarnieri.

This is the motion, as amended. We will vote on the amendment first, and then we will vote on the motion.

[The Clerk]

It reads as follows:

That the Committee recommends that the government work with the victims in Canada to ascertain the feasibility of using existing domestic crimes against humanity legislation to indict Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe for crimes against humanity as well as press for a resolution at the Security Council to invoke a Chapter 7 article 41 resolution against President Mugabe and that the Minister of Justice report back to the committee by November 15 on his efforts.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

All in favour of the amendment?

[Keith Martin, Liberal, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

Recorded vote, please.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Not on the amendment.

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, York—Simcoe, ON]

This has the word "indictment" in it, correct?

[Keith Martin, Liberal, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

It doesn't say "indictment"; it says "resolution", but there's no "indictment".

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Then you read something different. Read it again, please.

[The Clerk]

That the committee recommends that the government work with victims in Canada to ascertain the feasibility of using existing domestic crimes against humanity legislation to indict Zimbabwe's President Robert

[An hon. member]

It is there.

[The Clerk]

Yes.

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, York—Simcoe, ON]

I think you still have a technical problem. I'd like some more time to work on it, so we could come up with a uniform solution.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Are we all in favour of the amendment?

(Amendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])