Evidence of meeting #2 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 40th Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was afghanistan.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Lawrence Cannon Conservative Pontiac, QC
Thank you, Chair and colleagues, for having me. It's been a very good afternoon. Thank you.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
We will suspend and then we will move into committee business. We will allow the guests to exit the room.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
All right, committee, we'll call this meeting back to order.
You'll notice on the agenda that in the second hour we have committee business. It is the intent to disclose--you have it in front of you--the steering committee report that we brought forward. That's one of the items.
I think before we even get into that, although it's not next on the agenda, we had, in the subcommittee, recommended that we go into a bit of a briefing on Canadian foreign policy with regard to the United States and the new administration there. There were a number of witnesses whose names were submitted and who were contacted. We have not been able to secure all of them for certain. There is one who may be able to come tomorrow afternoon--one of the local ones, and three or four are out of town this week.
So maybe the first item is just to let you know that so far tomorrow, we have basically an open meeting here.
Liberal
Bob Rae Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
That's worthwhile, if he can come. Frank Graves is very knowledgeable on public opinion. He's a well-known pollster. He'd be interesting to talk with, and he has extensive reviews of opinion in Canada and the U.S. He's just done a major study.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
So that might be good for one hour tomorrow.
There's no one else you're waiting for, is there?
Liberal
Bob Rae Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Is either of the people who wrote that report, Derek Burney or...?
Bloc
Paul Crête Bloc Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
If only one witness has confirmed that he will be appearing, could we ask some officials from the department to appear before us to explain the issues that are related to this matter or is it too late to call them to appear?
Conservative
Liberal
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
So you would want Mr. Graves by himself, and then the department in the second hour.
Bloc
Paul Crête Bloc Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
Yes, and if others confirm that they will be here, for example, Mr. Graves, we could have two or three experts. As to the second part, that would be the government.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
It's my understanding that departments never appear with anyone.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Yes. So that would be in the second hour. And that's something, then, Mr. Obhrai, that you can do?
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
I want to qualify that. We'll make a request. If they need time to prepare, that's another issue.
NDP
Paul Dewar NDP Ottawa Centre, ON
I didn't submit any names, so I'm just wondering who we were looking for. Was Mr. Harder one of them?
NDP
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
Mr. Harder is deputy foreign minister, so I can't speak for him.
