Foreign Affairs Committee on May 13th, 2008

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Bernard Patry]

Members, we're no longer in camera.

We have a motion. Before we start on Mr. Dewar's motion--it's the first motion--I've had a verbal request from Mr. Obhrai. He wants to remove the last motion, about having the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development. The main estimates will be discussed in the House of Commons, so we don't need to have him here.

Do we all agree?

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Did we not pass a motion to have the minister in front of the committee?

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Bernard Patry]

Yes.

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

I am removing the one on the estimates, not that one. That motion is passed now.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Right. So we're going to have him in front of this committee?

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Bernard Patry]

Yes, but we removed the one for the main estimates.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Of course. Yes, I assumed that was the case.

Thank you.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Bernard Patry]

Monsieur Lebel--

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Chair, I had my hand up first, before we—

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

About what?

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

About the first order of business.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Bernard Patry]

Yes, but I want to see what Monsieur Lebel wants to discuss.

Oui, monsieur Lebel.

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

I would like to speak to my motion, Mr. Chairman. I've looked at our proposed agenda for the next few weeks. Obviously, there are a number of very important and timely issues listed, but I also see that time is marching on. I tabled a motion concerning the Summit of La Francophonie in which I requested the following:

That [...] the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, under the framework of a proactive evaluation of the Summit of heads of State and Government of Countries Using French as a Common Language (usually called the Summit of La Francophonie), scheduled for Quebec City on October 17-19, 2008 invite officials to appear before it [...]

That way, the committee would be informed of the preparations under way for the Summit. Canada's image is on the line here. Official languages are a very important consideration for all members of Parliament. I am a member of the Standing Committee on Official Languages and every time the committee meets, I see just how sensitive this issue is.

I've looked at the order in which the motions will be considered. Most of them call for explanations as to why certain decisions were made, or ask that certain facts be acknowledged. However, time is flying by. The OIF is comprised of 55 states and governments. Therefore, we can expect 55 member states and governments and 13 observer nations to descend on Quebec City. Officials are being welcomed here. I want some assurance, as do all MPs, that preparations are set for this summit. I want some assurance that Canada...

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Bernard Patry]

Sir, the only thing you can do is table a new motion asking that your motion be dealt with before the others, as Mr. Dewar has done. That's your only option.

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Chairman, with my preamble, I was hoping that my motion would move up... Given the chronological order, my motion will come up for debate after the Summit has taken place. Therefore, I'm asking that you move my motion up the list so that we can debate it and ensure that Canada extends a proper welcome to those who will be attending the summit.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

On a point of order, Chair, if I may, I had my hand up immediately.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Bernard Patry]

Yes, I know. You've got your point of order.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

This happened last time, and Mr. Sorenson said he was sorry, he didn't see me.

I said this before we went out of camera; I had my hand up and was recognized. I just want to be clear on this.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Bernard Patry]

Sure, you're clear.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Okay.

So if you had a point of order, fine, but I was the first one with my hand up.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Bernard Patry]

You're right. You're right about this. I'll recognize you....

Mr. Obhrai, do you have a point of order or what? No?

Mr. Dewar.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Thank you.

Mr. Chair, first of all, I want to table the motion I had in front of the committee, that was to bring forward my motion on having the minister in front of us—so relax over there—and wanted to get to my motion that I had in the next order of business, and that was the motion we'd normally be looking at. That would be the following:

That pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development report to the House the following recommendations; that the Government adopt the recommendations put forward in the Advisory Group Report: National Roundtables on Corporate Social Responsibility and the Canadian Extractive Industry in Developing Countries, and that the government announces its proposals for the implementation of the Report's recommendations.

I'd like to just move into that motion, as was scheduled.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Bernard Patry]

He put his motion. Okay, that's his motion. The first one is debatable.

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

No, no, that's not fair.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Bernard Patry]

Go ahead on your point of order.