Evidence of meeting #30 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 consular.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
It's on the same point of order. It deals with the parliamentary privilege that, of course, Ms. Mohamud has in relation to these proceedings.
As the clerk--
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Actually, Mr. Jean, the answer has already been given. Mr. Volpe's question has been answered. So we aren't dealing with that point of order right now.
Mr. McTeague, you actually have one minute.
Liberal
Dan McTeague Liberal Pickering—Scarborough East, ON
Privacy rights are well known to people like Brenda Martin, whose privacy rights were of course violated. We're still trying to seek remedy for this.
But I want to assure you, Ms. Mohamud, that in the time in which the Liberals were in government, when Mr. Graham was minister, the article of the...and the use, the ruse, of sub judice, not appearing and not wanting to comment, was never something that entered our minister's ideas. He came before the committee and was fully accountable.
We fully expect that in the next few days the Minister of Foreign Affairs himself, Mr. Cannon, who made those incriminating statements about you, notwithstanding the evidence you put forward...were in fact going to be there.
We want to know who's in charge. We will pursue other cases with the minister: Amanda Lindhout, Mohamed Kohail, Pavel Kulisek, Huseyin Celil. In those cases, in terms of your testimony here, you can be assured that you've opened the path to helping others. We thank you for that.
We look forward to seeing you again.
Conservative
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
Yes.
Mr. Chair, with respect, I haven't interfered up until now, but we have not heard a direct answer on whether or not Ms. Mohamud will release the findings of the report to this committee and in fact is protected by parliamentary privilege in these proceedings. We still haven't heard that.
We've heard that she wants to be forthright and honest, but she is asking for $2.5 million of taxpayers' money, and we have not heard whether or not she would release the findings to this committee.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
I'm not certain it's the responsibility of the committee to find out today. That may not be our committee's responsibility. If she didn't disclose it, then I don't think we have the--
Liberal
Dan McTeague Liberal Pickering—Scarborough East, ON
On a point of order, Mr. Chair, these are matters of debate.
Liberal
Dan McTeague Liberal Pickering—Scarborough East, ON
I think, quite clearly, in terms of review, if the government had done its job in the first place, we would have been okay.
Thank you, Chair.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Thank you very much, Mr. McTeague, for that commentary.
I want to thank you both for attending today.
Let me again underscore what you've heard from all parties today. We are distressed, as you are, where it appears that there have been some real issues. That's what this committee wants to get to. We want to get down and find out how we can make this system better.
I like what Mr. Obhrai said, that there are no two-tier Canadians. Certainly we need to do what we can to make certain that the system is clear.
I want to answer Mr. McTeague's comment as well about the minister not being able to be present today. We were called together by the opposition as an emergency meeting. Two people from the Liberal Party who made application, as much as it may have been an emergency, didn't show up here today. Our ministers have been more than willing to appear before committee every time that we've called them. But again, Parliament is not sitting. In fairness to the ministers, we have had very good response, and they are on record many times as being here.
Again, I want to thank you for being here.
We are adjourned.