Foreign Affairs Committee on Dec. 4th, 2007

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Just for the record, I would like to say that since this committee has been there, there have been 12 appearances by the ministers to the committee, in all aspects of it.

Now it is up to the opposition to say what they want to talk about. We just can't keep going on this thing. What I would suggest is that the motion was passed and the minister has agreed to come for an hour. If they're not satisfied with it, they can subsequently start putting further motions as to what they want to do. But let's move forward here. Otherwise, we'll all get bogged down here.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

We have Mr. Wilfert and then Madame Barbot.

[Bryon Wilfert, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

Mr. Chair, I think--

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Oh, I'm sorry; it's Mr. Wilfert, Madame St-Hilaire, and then Madame Barbot.

[Bryon Wilfert, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

Mr. Chair, in fairness to the ministers, and for them to do an appropriate job, we need to have two hours with each minister, not simply one. This isn't a tea-and-cookies event; we want to talk about real issues.

In order to have the opportunity, if the Minister of Foreign Affairs or the CIDA minister is available for two hours on December 11, that's fine. Then we'll have to put the other one off. But in fairness to the minister, in order to answer the kinds of questions that we need and the kind of....

Mr. Chair, through you to Mr. Obhrai, since August we not seen either minister, so I think it's appropriate that we give them the opportunity to come and speak. Two hours, I think, is reasonable, and then we can also deal with the other minister.

I'll leave it up to you, Mr. Obhrai, because you're very good at this and very skilled at this. I'm sure you will be able to get one of the two to come for two hours.

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Are you praising me? That's amazing.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Bryon Wilfert, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

Yes--but please do not put that in the record.

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Madame Barbot, he's praising me.

I'm in shock.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

We're going to Madame St-Hilaire.

[Caroline St-Hilaire, Bloc, Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC]

Indeed, Mr. Chairman, I wished to correct my colleague, because there are new ministers, there was a Cabinet shuffle, and I believe that it is important that committee members be able to put questions to them. And if we only have one hour, there will be no time for us to put questions to them after their presentations.

This is why I am of the opinion that we would need two hours with each minister. Furthermore, we might cover all the motions, instead of inviting them 14 times, as the Parliamentary Secretary was regretting. We could invite them for two hours each and cover off all of the questions, rather than inviting them again.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Are you saying you want both of them to appear for two hours? Or is it two hours for one day, and then two hours--

[Caroline St-Hilaire, Bloc, Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC]

Two hours each.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Are you asking whether both ministers can come at the same time for two hours?

[Vivian Barbot, Bloc, Papineau, QC]

No.

[Caroline St-Hilaire, Bloc, Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC]

Separately.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

So you want two hours with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and two hours with the minister of CIDA.

Madame Barbot.

[Vivian Barbot, Bloc, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Chairman, I would simply add that I consider it to be a lack of respect towards the ministers to invite them to come here with their whole entourage for just half an hour each. Given our numbers here, that would be of little effect.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

We've sent the invitation. They've accommodated us by being here. If we can check and say that there's been a desire to have them longer, then we'll see, but in the meantime....

I mean, I'm not a minister, but if I looked at a paper that had eight motions, and they were asking me to be there for every motion, I would say, “You know what? An hour here, an hour there....” And perhaps that's what's going on.

Mr. Obhrai.

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Now they want two hours; we might as well go to six hours. With all these motions here....

Look, let's be realistic here. Madame St-Hilaire is absolutely right, there's a new minister, who has indicated his desire to come here.

I want to ask a procedural question. An invitation has gone to the ministers. The ministers have responded. You stated quite clearly that they will be here for an hour. It's up to you, as the chair, whether you want to write them and ask if their schedules permit more time. It's their time schedule, not what we want here.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

That's what I'm going to do.

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

But did we not pass a motion to have them here?

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Yes.

[Bryon Wilfert, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

We've been passing it for an hour.

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

So why are we changing everything? They can say yes and they can say no.