Foreign Affairs Committee on Feb. 13th, 2007

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Then I'm saying that it's factually incorrect.

Do I or do I not have time to talk on this?

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Well, we'll give you some time. How long are you going to be?

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Well, I can provide the rationale.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Do we need a time clock or a calendar?

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

I'll provide the rationale on what was done.

Listen, buddy, keep quiet.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Mr. Obhrai, continue. We'll try to keep with the spirit here.

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Do I have time?

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

You have time.

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

I have time.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

You have some time.

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Thank you very much.

As I said, I was the spokesperson on this closure on behalf of the Government of Canada. In the spirit of cooperation, I will lay out the reasoning the government had on this.

It was basically that this was a mission closure based on the spending restraints by the Government of Canada. It was announced in September 2006 that there was going to be a review of all the expenditures.

You can see, Mr. Chair, that nobody is listening.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Okay. You're getting the answers to your question.

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

I wanted to put the motion, but no one even listens.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Continue, Mr. Obhrai.

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Thank you.

It started as a restraint exercise by the Government of Canada on September 26, 2006, which was a review of all departmental expenditures undertaken on the order of the cabinet.

As part of the cabinet decision that was made, these four missions were identified for closure. They were identified for closure for a couple of reasons. They were identified for closure because there would not be an impact on the services that were going to be provided, which were just alluded to. We were talking about countries that have very strong infrastructures. It was felt that with the review undertaken by the government with this prerogative, the closures would not have an impact on any kinds of services anywhere.

As Mr. Wilfert said, in Japan, we have the embassy in Tokyo. Therefore, having taken a look into that, it was seen to have no impact on it.

Let me finish.

[Raymond Bonin, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

The motion didn't ask for you to explain it; it asks for other people to explain it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

The problem with the motion is that it asks for those responsible.

[Raymond Bonin, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

That's right, but he's not responsible. Why are we wasting all this time?

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

So who is responsible?

[Raymond Bonin, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Well, let's find out.

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

Those are the people we want to have come to the committee.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

So if they send Mr. Obhrai to committee, would you be happy with that?

[Some hon. members]

No.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Why?

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

Because we have you every day, even when we are travelling.