Evidence of meeting #10 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was obhrai.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Bernard Patry Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
Yes, we can discuss inviting him. We didn't decide it yet.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
No.
Can we adopt this report, and then we'll move into the motions?
All those in favour of adopting this report?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
All right. Now we're going to go into committee business.
Again, I'm going to bring this forward because there are some timelines here.
Mr. Obhrai did bring a motion to the steering committee. It was given the 48 hours' notice. The other motions appearing here are before him in precedence, undoubtedly, but there was a commitment that we would discuss Mr. Obhrai's motion at Thursday's committee business. So if it's still the will of the committee to bring that motion forward, we can discuss it and get a yes or a no.
Proceed, Mr. Obhrai.
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
In light of the information I received, and in light of what Mr. Dewar talked about with the chair, I think it would be appropriate that I amend this motion.
Liberal
Bernard Patry Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
Yes, but we didn't decide yet if you could speak to your motion. I'm sorry.
Liberal
Bernard Patry Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
We didn't decide yet. You're going too fast. Sorry about that.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Deepak signified that he wanted to speak on this. Again, I'm in the hands of the committee here.
Liberal
Bernard Patry Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
What did you discuss with Mr. Wilfert and the people who were present at the steering committee? You decided that we were going to discuss it today? No. It's ten minutes past five. We finish at 5:30. We can discuss it at 25 minutes past five. So you could have the other motion.
For me, there is a precedent. You're causing a precedent that anyone who comes with a motion at the end should get precedence over the other motions before it.
I don't have any motion there. I just don't care about this. We could discuss it any time, there's no problem in discussing it, but—
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
What I'm asking is if we can have the committee give us the go-ahead to move to that motion.
Madame Barbot.
Bloc
Vivian Barbot Bloc Papineau, QC
Mr. Wilfert said that we were going to talk about it, but if you recall, I stressed at the last meeting that the motion had not been proposed and that it was therefore not admissible. The motion is admissible today and it is only today that we can decide what to do about it. I pointed out to you that all the discussion we had about the motion was practically pointless since we did not have a motion; it was not translated and we did not receive it.
Vivian Barbot Bloc Papineau, QC
That is the reality. We have to decide whether, yes or no, we introduce this motion ahead of the others, regardless of what Mr. Wilfert has said.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
That is correct. Madame Barbot has hit the nail on the head. Today we have to discuss whether we can do that.
All I'm saying is that on Tuesday it wasn't the 48 hours—Madame Barbot is correct. We said we wanted to get direction. Did we want to have the committee come before us? The point we made at steering committee was that would be fairly quick. Then they said, we don't want to even discuss it because we'll discuss it on Thursday. So what I'm asking is, is it all right, then, to move into that motion to discuss whether or not we would invite Mr. Manley to appear?
Then I would ask Mr. Obhrai to introduce his motion, but I need your will to do that.
Is that all right, Madame Barbot? Are we okay with that?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
That being stated, Mr. Obhrai, then, if you would like to introduce your motion and tell us a bit about—
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
I would like to amend my motion, in light of information that came.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
I can read his motion. It reads:
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(1)(a) that the committee meet jointly at its first opportunity with the Standing Committee....
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.
Although you are reading a motion, in light of what has happened, as Mr. Dewar pointed out in the steering committee, in reference to what had happened at the defence committee, I have an amendment to this motion.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Let's continue here and then we'll hear your amendment, Mr. Obhrai. It further reads:
...the committee meet jointly at its first opportunity with the Standing Committee on National Defence to discuss the Manley report, and that the chairmanship....
And it goes on.
So that's the motion.
Mr. Obhrai, you have an amendment.
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
Yes, I have an amendment.
In light of the fact that the defence committee this afternoon did not want to meet jointly, and neither did Mr. Dewar want to miss....
Liberal