Evidence of meeting #11 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was aid.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Rahul Singh  Executive Director, GlobalMedic
Alexis Gaiptman  Executive Director, Humanity and Inclusion Canada
Zaid Al-Rawni  Chief Executive Officer, Islamic Relief Canada
Clerk of the Committee  Ms. Erica Pereira

4:45 p.m.

NDP

Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL

Chair, if it would be helpful, I'd like to point out one thing.

4:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sven Spengemann

Let's see if that's procedurally in order. I just want to find out if Mr. Bergeron's motion is now dilatory in the sense that it adjourns debate or whether we can continue the discussion.

4:45 p.m.

The Clerk

You can certainly continue discussion if people would like to speak.

4:45 p.m.

Liberal

Hedy Fry Liberal Vancouver Centre, BC

He didn't make a motion.

4:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sven Spengemann

Mr. Harris, go ahead, please.

4:45 p.m.

NDP

Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL

I'll just point out for those who might be concerned about doing something inconsistent with the trade committee that the only actual motion here, aside from the preambles, is that the committee call upon the government to ensure that any post-Brexit trade deal between Canada and the United Kingdom is consistent with the principles of the Good Friday Agreement.

Surely the trade committee would not be coming up with anything different from that. They might do something beyond that, but this is a basic principle on which I think we should have no difficulty not running afoul of the trade committee.

4:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sven Spengemann

Okay, have we exhausted views? Does anybody else want to comment on this?

Mr. Oliphant, go ahead.

4:45 p.m.

Liberal

Rob Oliphant Liberal Don Valley West, ON

As I said, I'm predisposed to do it. My dilemma is that there's an interpretive nature to something being consistent with something.

Mr. Harris, absolutely we can do this. I think we should have something that is consistent, but I don't know how you measure that: Something is consistent in the eyes of whom? I just want it on the record that it's a very difficult thing to determine whether something is consistent with an international agreement, because that would have to be adjudicated in some way.

That said, I'm fine to go with this and then move on, because I don't think it's a big issue.

4:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sven Spengemann

Okay. Are there any other views?

In that case, let's move to a vote.

Madam Clerk, just before we go there, you've signalled that unless we have unanimous consent we need a recorded division. Is that correct?

Let me just ask, is there unanimous consent to adopt Mr. Harris's motion?

4:45 p.m.

Conservative

Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON

Sorry, Mr. Chair, why do we need unanimous consent?

4:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sven Spengemann

I will need the assistance of the clerk to answer that. I think there's a motion we passed previously that requires it.

Madam Clerk, go ahead.

4:45 p.m.

The Clerk

Yes, thank you. It's per the terms of the motion adopted on September 23 in the House concerning voting in hybrid committees.

4:45 p.m.

Conservative

Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON

Okay. Thank you.

4:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sven Spengemann

Do I have unanimous consent to adopt Mr. Harris's motion?

(Motion agreed to)

Congratulations, Mr. Harris.

4:45 p.m.

NDP

Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL

Thank you, colleagues.

Thank you, Chair.

4:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sven Spengemann

This concludes the public portion of our committee business. I ask your indulgence for what I hope will be not much more than maybe another 20 minutes or so of discussion. I won't prejudge. We have until 5:30.

The link is in your inbox. We will take a few minutes to reconnect in camera.

Thank you so much.

[Proceedings continue in camera]