Evidence of meeting #12 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 amendment.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
I just want to say, with “the relevant minister”. I want it very clear.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Yes, that part was done.
All those in favour of Madame Barbot's motion as amended?
(Motion as amended agreed to)
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
That was agreed unanimously.
We're going to move to the top of the order paper. The next motion is another motion by Madame Barbot, pursuant to Standing Order 108.
Did you want this brought forward at this time, Madame Barbot?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Moving to the next one, Mr. Obhrai has his motion:
Pursuant to Standing Order 108 (2)...undertake a study investigating the effectiveness and quality of Canada's food aid policy and whether current methods of delivery meet the objectives established under the Food Aid Convention.
Did you want to bring that one forward at this time?
Conservative
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
Absolutely, sir, and I hope this time Paul is listening to the motion.
Mr. Chair, in seriousness, food security has become very important. With almost 800 million people in the world living with hunger, food security is becoming a very critical aspect of global peace and stability.
CIDA has been assisting with some aspects of food security around the world. The Foodgrains program is one of the best examples, wherein Canada has been very successful in working with other countries to provide food security.
What we want is to have a comprehensive study, to see what kinds of barriers and situations exist for food security and to ensure that Canada takes a leading role. We want the foreign affairs committee to take a leading role and do a comprehensive report to say what hurdles and barriers there are at this time. It would form an overall strategy for what our food aid program would be.
We had people come here from Kenya a month or so ago, in the last session, who talked about a food security program in Kenya as well as in another African country. Kenya was there, but there was one from west Africa. I think it was Ghana, if I'm not mistaken.
Were they from Ghana?
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
I know it was Kenya, because I talked with them.
They talked about climate change and the effect climate change is having on the food security program. They were highly concerned about climate change.
They came with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, didn't they?
Most of them zeroed in on the fact that climate change was also having a major impact upon farming in those countries and on the inability of those countries to mount an effective campaign to work towards food security. They brought that up and appealed to Canada for assistance.
Within that context, this study on food aid would be a comprehensive study, looking at all of these issues to create an overall strategy for the Government of Canada—and for CIDA as well, since CIDA would be and is involved in food aid security—to give them direction from us. The most important aspect of this is giving direction as to what....
What did you say?
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
I am not going to do a filibuster for six and a half hours.
Here we go again. These friendly amendments of Borys—
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Continue, Mr. Obhrai. You'll have the first chance to speak to any amendments.
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
No. I will highlight what we heard in the committee. I'm bringing this up so that we understand that it's not as if the witnesses who came in front of the committee just walked away; we listened to them. That's why it's coming up here, and that's why I'm putting this on the record.
You may want me to cut the debate short, but I'm also putting on the record who came, what came, and why we are doing this, so that it's on the record and when they listen to it they can say that at least their journey to Canada and to the committee was successful, that it was not in vain.
In light of that, you can use closure here, but I'm putting it on the record. This is for the record and for the Hansard.
Having done that, I think I'm going to go on, Mr. Chair.
Also, there has been a lot of demand on CIDA's involvement in this thing. This would also be a good way to see what CIDA is doing--CIDA's involvement, CIDA's money--by calling CIDA officials. I can say my government is as concerned as any Canadian about the effective use of CIDA dollars. This would give them this thing.
We want to see what recommendations we can make so that we can have a really targeted approach to work towards reduction of poverty and food security.
Having said that, I think my colleagues will not find it very difficult to support it, but they're all welcome to speak on it. I'm open to debate.
Liberal
Borys Wrzesnewskyj Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON
Call the question.
That's a little friendly surprise there for you.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Okay. Thank you, Mr. Obhrai.
We still have some debate here.
Madame Barbot.
Bloc
Vivian Barbot Bloc Papineau, QC
I do not have a problem with the entire motion as such. However, I do object to doing a study. We could invite several witnesses from CIDA to address the committee on this matter and we could put some questions to them. However, I fail to see the need to do a comprehensive study on this particular subject at this point in time.
If we examine CIDA's overall activities, we could, for instance, look at food aid. However, perhaps one meeting to hear from witnesses on the subject of food aid policy would suffice.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Which would be defined as a study.
All right, thank you.
Is that all?
If we're done, because it's Mr. Obhrai's motion, I'll let him sum up. Unless there's anyone else, he has the option to put the final remarks, shorter--
Liberal
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
I see Mr. Dewar on here, too, so I'm going to let Paul go first, and then we'll come back to Mr. Obhrai.
Paul Dewar NDP Ottawa Centre, ON
Mr. Chair, I just noticed that we do have another motion coming up on CIDA, and I'm wondering if there's any way to incorporate the two.
Mr. Obhrai has mentioned that he's worried about climate change and food supply in Africa, and that's good. I'm glad. But the motion coming up also talks about CIDA and effectiveness of delivery of aid. I'm wondering if that is something we can incorporate, by amendment, into his motion.
That's a question, through you to Mr. Obhrai, whether or not we can incorporate the motion coming up on the study on CIDA with his motion.