Evidence of meeting #37 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 finance.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
Bernard Patry Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
It's redundant, but that's okay.
So it's done. Okay. I just wanted to know. Thank you.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
Bill Casey Conservative Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, NS
This is in line with what we did with clauses 6, 7, and 8, so I don't think it should be a problem if you want to vote it down.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Just on that, you see where it says “the positions taken by Canada”. It's “(a) the position”. We're wondering if there should be a (b) before “a summary of the manner”? There is in the French. So that would be to include “(b)”, “a summary of the manner in which Canada's activities...”.
All right, Mr. Casey, go ahead.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
Bill Casey Conservative Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, NS
Based on the testimony we had, we think this should be eliminated.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
You mean delete lines 29 to 31, so delete subclause(2). It's a deletion.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Okay, so you delete this and replace it with:
The Minister of Finance shall, in addition to the report required under section 13 of the Bretton Woods and Related Agreements Act, contribute to the Report to Parliament under this Act: (a) the positions taken by Canada...”.
All right, Mr. McKay.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
The statistical report is pretty important. The premise is that you take out the statistical report and then you provide a summary of the positions taken by Canada.
We think that hard numbers are rather critical to knowing what our performance might be under this bill. I can't see how I can give up on some sort of statistical summary. That's the problem with the amendment.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
Bernard Patry Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
When it says “The Minister shall issue a statistical report”, what do you mean? Is it a report about the ODA itself? Is it a report about ODA by humanitarian sections and the number of emergencies? What type of report do you want? Is it by region? What type of a report? This is very vague. The department will give you what they want to give you.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
I imagine the first time they will give me what they want to give me.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
Then the second time, if I'm not happy with it, or more accurately, members are not happy with it, they'll ask for a breakdown, whether it's a regional breakdown or a country-by-country breakdown.
I don't think you can phrase it beyond simply saying “statistical”.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
Bernard Patry Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
Yes, but if you're not happy, are you going to come back to change the bill?
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
No, you don't have to come back. You can say you're not happy with the statistical report and that there's more information to be generated.
I don't see the issue here.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
Peter Goldring Conservative Edmonton East, AB
The way I'm reading this motion is that it makes reference, under “section 13”, to a report under section 13 of the Bretton Woods agreement. I guess the question is whether that report is a statistical report that would meet the intentions of your deleted lines, in which case it would still be in there but would also have the additional provisions that are listed below.
Is that report required under section 13 of the Bretton Woods and Related Agreements Act not a statistical report that meets your original requirements?
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
Not necessarily; it may be simply a summary of activities.
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
Bernard Patry Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
My answer to this is, it's very easy. If we're not satisfied with the report, it's not an MP who is going to tell CIDA what to do or not to do. It needs to be done by Parliament; we cannot tell CIDA.
