Mr. Chairman, Parliament has spoken twice on this issue. The last time, 178 MPs supported it. You indicated the U.K. has it. Sweden has it. Sweden has poverty, and they have human rights as well. There were about six examples.
I guess I'm a bit confused here. This bill has been floating out there for quite awhile. You agree in principle. Then, at the eleventh hour, we get all these technical amendments. I would suggest--and I will have a motion in a moment, Mr. Chairman--that this is consistent with CIDA's goals and with what the minister has certainly indicated in the past.
We talk about problems of interpretation. I'm going to suggest, Mr. Chairman, if we propose a motion today to pass on Thursday, that we deal with this issue clause by clause next Tuesday. In the meantime, I presume that will force a cleanup of these technical amendments.
In fact, if it's consistent with CIDA's goals and if we see this legislation is operating in other jurisdictions, given that Parliament has spoken twice on this and that this isn't something new, I'm a bit surprised. I asked the mover of this bill whether he had any indication prior to today about these technical issues. He indicated there wasn't any comment to him.
I'm a bit concerned, Mr. Chairman, that the will of Parliament may in fact be dragged out the door by what would seem to be technical changes.
I would suggest that if it's the will of the committee to vote on this on Thursday for clause-by-clause discussion on Tuesday, then we proceed, and in the meantime, we get those drafting changes.