Foreign Affairs Committee on Feb. 14th, 2011

[Bob Rae, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

It shouldn't contain either, I agree with you. It should not contain any commentary.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Okay, I have a list here. Mr. Lunney and then Mr. Obhrai.

[James Lunney, Conservative, Nanaimo—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Chair, the point was raised that we probably could have a very quick meeting; we discuss what's basically there and then put down the facts. I believe the Speaker has access to the blues of the committee meeting here. It's recorded in Hansard. If we're not going to be having a report that requires discussion, then he has access to the blues.

With all due respect, I think we are going to need to discuss the content of that report, and I think we're going to need to take a look at the nature of that. There is some confusion about what form it will take, and I think we're going to have to flesh that out as we look at it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Mr. Obhrai.

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

I'm not going to say much, except that when the report comes through we can discuss this on Wednesday. I understand the opposition side wants to cut it somewhere and not get the complete picture, but our side wants to get the complete picture.

We can discuss this on Wednesday, when the report comes forward. I would suggest that we move forward and then go back in camera to discuss other committee business.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Go ahead, Paul.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

To be clear, because I'm concerned about where we're going with some of this, I brought up the question of privilege. We agreed it was a question of privilege, and we agreed we'd report it to the House. That's nice and clean and concise.

What we're now discussing is what that report will be, so let's not make it too big. We were talking about the question of privilege; we agreed it was. Now we're talking about what's going to be in that report, because we're getting into recommendations on what we're putting in. It's a very straightforward process.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

I also need some clarification. We've talked about some documents. The clerk has no documents to append.

Go ahead.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

I requested, at a minimum, that we have the transcript from December 9. That's something I would ask to be included in the report.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

I know we can get the transcript. I'm not concerned about the blues.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

You're talking about other documents.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Right.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

As long as we're clear on the December 9 piece.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

No other documents?

[Bob Rae, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

In order to make sense of the document, you have to have the actual document that has the word “not” in it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

We don't have it.

Go ahead, Monsieur Dorion.

[Jean Dorion, Bloc, Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC]

Let me sum things up, Mr. Chair. I think we need a very short report containing the remarks the minister made in the House and the remarks she made when she appeared here. We don't need a lengthy report; just one dealing with the remarks in question.

I agree that that is the way to proceed.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Are there any other comments on this issue?

To recap for everybody, we will have a report done by the researchers and our clerk, which will be ready to discuss on Wednesday.

Is there any other business?

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Not dealing with this, but we have the other stuff.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

We have other business we want to deal with?

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Can we go in camera for those who want to talk about more committee business?

We'll suspend and go in camera.

[Proceedings continue in camera]