Foreign Affairs Committee on March 28th, 2022

[The Chair, Liberal, Sven Spengemann]

Thank you very much, Mr. Bergeron.

The vice-chairs and Ms. McPherson will have the opportunity to approve this second work plan, perhaps tomorrow. It can then be formally approved on Thursday when the committee is in full session.

Mr. Oliphant, you have the floor.

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

I would just agree with Mr. Bergeron that if the analysts have time to rejig the meeting on Thursday, I think it could be helpful. I would like more of a geopolitical look and update on where we're at. I think that would be more helpful than maybe where we were going. If they have time to do it, I would trust them, and then the vice-chairs can approve it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sven Spengemann]

Thank you very much, Mr. Oliphant.

Mr. Genuis.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'm supportive of your engaging the vice-chairs on this and I trust Mr. Morantz to represent my views in those discussions.

I did just want to ask another question in the housekeeping domain. We passed a motion about the publication of written responses on the website. I wonder if the clerk could maybe just share the link for that, because I was having a hard time finding where those responses are on the website. Maybe that's still under development. I know in today's meeting we had a lot of written responses as well, and I wanted to make sure I know where to access that information and can share it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sven Spengemann]

Okay. Thank you very much for that, Mr. Genuis.

Madam Clerk, is that something we can do shortly?

[The Clerk of the Committee, Ms. Erica Pereira]

Yes, Mr. Chair. The written responses are all up on the website under “Related Information” under the study page. I'll send the links around.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sven Spengemann]

Perfect.

Mr. Bergeron.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Montarville, QC]

Mr. Chair, it was my understanding on this matter that we were not necessarily going to release the responses as soon as we receive them, so that we can agree on whether to release them or not. Mr. Genuis has himself acknowledged that it may not be appropriate to release them. If we release them as soon as we get them, we will not have the opportunity to reflect on whether or not it is appropriate to do so.

I'd like to see us work from the premise that all written responses should be released, but give ourselves a few days' buffer period. We will need to figure out exactly how many days. This would allow us to complete those checks before we post the documents on the website to make them public.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sven Spengemann]

Thank you very much, Mr. Bergeron.

Yes, I think the understanding was that the vice-chairs plus Ms. McPherson would have the opportunity to flag any publications that might be controversial.

Madam Clerk, you have the floor.

[The Clerk]

Mr. Chair, this is just to let you know that Madam Bendayan and Mr. Morantz in the room would like to speak.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sven Spengemann]

Yes, Madam Bendayan, please go ahead, and then Mr. Morantz.

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Outremont, QC]

Thank you, Madam Clerk and Mr. Chair.

Yes, I agree with my colleagues that we need to move forward, not backward. With this in mind, I'd also like to propose that, as a committee, we report what we've heard in this study about Ukraine. The committee can discuss this, but I suggest we issue a press release rather than a report so that we can lay out what we've heard and what our committee's findings are.

I'd also like to come back to what I suggested earlier in committee regarding the second day of study on the situation in Xinjiang, but I understand that time is of the essence. It's already 1:04 p.m. Perhaps we can resolve this press release issue.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sven Spengemann]

Thank you very much, Ms. Bendayan.

We have Mr. Morantz, please.

[Marty Morantz, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB]

I realize we've gotten off the initial subject of your first intervention, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to let you know that the Conservative caucus members of the committee agree with your approach with respect to the Thursday meeting on Ukraine. I look forward to hearing witness suggestions.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sven Spengemann]

Thank you very much for that.

Monsieur Bergeron.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Montarville, QC]

Mr. Chair, with respect to Ms. Bendayan's suggestion, which I wholeheartedly support, I am one of those people who believes one can chew gum and walk at the same time. I like the idea of tabling a report in the House on our findings. Perhaps we could do both, if Ms. Bendayan has no objection.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sven Spengemann]

All right, thank you very much.

Ms. Bendayan, would you like to respond briefly?

If not, we can start another discussion at the next meeting.

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Outremont, QC]

I certainly agree with my colleague Mr. Bergeron. The idea is to be able to report our discussions on this committee in an ad hoc manner. We are literally at war right now, so we need to move quickly if we want to report our discussions.

Maybe we could do a press release initially, even if it means coming back to a report a little later. I know the analysts will do their job and it will take some time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sven Spengemann]

Thank you very much.

Are there any other interventions, colleagues?

If not, I just want to double-check. I don't have her on my screen, but I just want to see if Ms. McPherson is also okay with the approach of having the analysts go ahead.

Okay.

Thank you very much.

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Chair, given the discussion that just happened, are the analysts seized with preparing a press release, or how does it work to proceed on that point of agreement?

[The Chair, Liberal, Sven Spengemann]

We can certainly draft a press release and send that to the vice-chairs for review and approval. I don't see any opposition to that.

Colleagues, thank you very much. We will stand adjourned until Thursday.