Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I thank Mr. Singh for bringing this to our attention.
I think that the events of 1984 he refers to, which we will all know in this room, were horrendous and were tragic. I believe that they have left scars and trauma for thousands of families in India and in Canada. Many Sikhs in Canada and around the world continue to feel the pain. This is something that has happened close to them and close to their hearts.
I would also respond that for me, this is not just an Indian issue; it is also a Canadian issue, by virtue of our population in this country.
The comments that I am about to give are not on the actual statement or the motion that he has presented but rather on the process by which I think we should move forward on issues like this.
The committee acts upon two things: motions from the members of the committee on topics that we think are important for us as parliamentarians to study, and work that is referred to us from Parliament. That may be legislation or it may be another motion that Parliament passes and sends to us.
The opportunity we have on this committee is to delve deeply into topics through study; through witnesses, such as those we have today; and through the work that committees do, sometimes around the clock, in this and other buildings on Parliament Hill.
We study issues, we listen to witnesses, we hear testimony, and then, as a committee, we make recommendations to Parliament and/or government.
I believe that the precedent on such a motion.... There are three ways that such a motion could be brought to the attention of the House. One is through a unanimous consent motion, which could simply be any sort of recognition or any sort of action. The second could be a private member's bill—a piece of legislation—or it could be through a private member's motion. All of those are ways that something can be brought to the House. It could go through the Senate or the House of Commons to get to our attention and be referred to us for study, or it may be acted upon in Parliament or in the committee of the whole.
As such, we don't think at this time that this precedent and this way of working are a good process. We encourage Mr. Singh to have conversations with representatives of all the parties and to find a path forward on this issue that would honour our parliamentary traditions more fully.
As such, I move that the debate now be adjourned.