Evidence of meeting #20 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was going.
A recording is available from Parliament.
October 17th, 2006 / 5:30 p.m.
Conservative
NDP
Alexa McDonough NDP Halifax, NS
Let me take 30 seconds to propose the following amendment to the end: “the committee hold meetings if necessary, in addition to regularly scheduled meetings, to study Bill C-293, An Act respecting the provision of development assistance abroad.” Delete “beginning the week of October 23”, because we already made that decision today.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Do you want to repeat that once and then we'll go to Mr. Obhrai?
NDP
Alexa McDonough NDP Halifax, NS
In the third line from the bottom after “meetings” to insert “if necessary, in addition to regularly scheduled meetings, to study Bill C-293, An Act respecting the provision of development assistance abroad.” In other words, strike the last line “beginning the week of October 23”.
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
Continuing in the spirit of cooperation we established today, and we are looking---
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
We have to go on a trip, not a holiday together, but we have to go on a trip together more often.
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
What I'm trying to say is that we know we have to do bills as mandated by Parliament, and there's no need at this time for your motion to be there, because we know we have to do it. But let's concentrate on what we are doing already: the Haiti report, the Afghanistan thing, and everything.
This is going to fit into the thing. I'm looking at this thing by not having our hands tied by any kind of promotion. Our hands are already tied by the Parliament of Canada saying this thing has to be given at that given time. That's why, Mr. Patry, when we were at the steering committee...we have a lot of slots during the month of November when we're going to do it.
My reluctance in supporting this is that I don't want to have our hands tied to do this thing, but we know we have to do it and that is why we have John McKay coming. We'll get a better picture, a better understanding of what the private member's bill is going to be. Then we will be able to make a decision to do that. That is why I'm having difficulty with this proposal.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Mr. Obhrai, I hope you have no intention of coming here in January, or any time in December, to get that report there the first week we're back after our break. You're saying you're committed to time in November.
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
As we're going down the road, we will have enough time to study that and see how it's going.
Conservative
NDP
Alexa McDonough NDP Halifax, NS
I know we need to cut it off, so can we just go ahead and have the question? I think we all understand the pros and cons.
Liberal
Bryon Wilfert Liberal Richmond Hill, ON
When I was parliamentary secretary, all legislation and all bills, whether government or private member's, took priority at committee. Therefore, we have already slotted it, and I would suggest we deal with it.
Liberal
Bernard Patry Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
I just want to be fair to the government side. They agreed this morning and we agreed this afternoon to start with Bill C-293, even before we passed the motion. They agreed on this. That's a step. Now we say we agree that we start the day after. You say it's next week we're going to start this. We will know. One thing we're going to be sure of is that we have a slot in November and we have the majority on this side, and if the government doesn't want to do it we're going to force the government to do it by having some other meetings.
To me, this motion is irrelevant in the sense that you ask if it's a necessity, but we don't know if it's going to be a necessity. We could fit in our slots. To me, it's irrelevant to have such a motion. We are already going to start it next week. That means the government's intention is to go along with this. We have done it and we agree on this. To me, there's no way to have such a motion.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
All right. Are we going to call the question?
You can have the last word.
NDP
Alexa McDonough NDP Halifax, NS
If I could just wrap up, I don't want to be provocative, but it's been four decades since Canada said it was going to do this. I don't think it's inappropriate for us as a committee to reflect some appropriate sense of urgency and build on the consensus already achieved. That's my purpose, and I call the question.
Conservative