Evidence of meeting #23 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was russia.
A recording is available from Parliament.
The Clerk
For the second and subsequent rounds, the time allotted is five minutes for the Conservative Party, five minutes for the Liberal Party, two and a half minutes for the Bloc Québécois, two and a half minutes for the NDP. The Conservative Party and the Liberal Party will then have five minutes each.
There will be a third round, and the Conservative Party will have five minutes.
The Clerk
No. We finished the second round.
As I was saying, the second round was in this order: the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party, the Bloc Québécois and the NDP. Then there was the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party.
We continue with the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party and so on.
This is in accordance with the routine motion adopted at the first meeting.
Conservative
The Clerk
The speaking order is as follows: Conservative Party, for five minutes. Then, Liberal Party, Bloc Québécois, NDP, Conservative Party, Liberal Party.
Then, we'll continue with the Conservative Party.
Liberal
Rachel Bendayan Liberal Outremont, QC
Mr. Clerk, we've started the third round. So I don't really understand your reasoning.
The Clerk
It's not reasoning. I'm relying on the motion that was adopted at the first meeting regarding the speaking order.
Here's how a round of questions goes: the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party, the Bloc Québécois, the NDP, the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party.
Then, we start again.
Bloc
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Montarville, QC
If I may, Mr. Genuis was given five minutes after Ms. McPherson's turn.
Five minutes were then allocated to the Liberals, five minutes were allocated to Mr. Morantz and another five minutes were allocated to the Liberals. Therefore, I would normally have the floor for two and a half minutes now.
I am indeed following the order that you just mentioned. There were two successive five‑minute rounds for the Liberals and the Conservatives.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Marty Morantz
Okay, do you know what? We're down to five minutes. It's 2:28. If the ministers would indulge us by staying for five more minutes, let's do two two and a half-minute rounds, one for Mr. Bergeron and one for Ms. McPherson, and that would cap off the ministers' meeting. Does that work for everybody?
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Minister, we started five minutes late. I wonder if we can just finish the third round. I think it is Mr. Bergeron's turn, but I just wonder if we can finish the third round.
Liberal
Jonathan Wilkinson Liberal North Vancouver, BC
I have a hard end of when to leave. I can stay for an extra couple of minutes to finish the two-and-a-half and two-and-a- half minutes, which I think is fair, because the Bloc and the NDP didn't get to ask anything in the third round—but I do have a hard end.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Marty Morantz
Mr. Bergeron, you have the floor for two and a half minutes.
Bloc
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Montarville, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
First of all, I would like to point out to my colleagues that interrupting each other and overlapping times gives the interpreters a lot of trouble. So I would urge my colleagues not to do that for the rest of the meeting.
Mr. Wilkinson, when you answered my question about the different types of turbines that could operate in the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, you ended by talking about the unit.
However, retired General Rick Hillier warned that this decision could weaken the western sanctions regime, and even the common front.
Hungary is already saying that sanctions are counterproductive. The country, which is stands to be rewarded with increased deliveries of natural gas, has also opposed the European plan to reduce gas consumption.
On the one hand, isn't this a first breach in the common front of western nations?
On the other hand, I would like you to go back to the Ukrainian proposal, which would have had the advantage of ensuring the supply of gas and oil for Ukraine while at the same time making it possible, if there had been a common front of all European countries, to force Vladimir Putin to decide whether he would continue to supply Europe or cut it off completely.
Liberal
Bloc
Liberal
Jonathan Wilkinson Liberal North Vancouver, BC
I would like to say that it's very important to support unity with our allies and to support the Ukrainian people. We have taken steps to ensure we support Ukraine.
You mentioned Mr. Hillier, but you may have forgotten the other two people who were there, Wesley Clark and David Petraeus. They supported Canada's decision. They, like me, have said that it is very important to remain united with our allies so that together we can support Ukraine.
That is exactly what we did in making this decision.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Marty Morantz
Thank you.
Ms. McPherson, you have the floor for the last two and a half minutes. Proceed.
NDP
Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I'm going to ask some very quick questions of Minister Joly. I don't know that we got the clarity that we needed with regard to the embassy staff in Ukraine.
The Globe and Mail is standing by its reporting today. It spoke to Ukrainian staff, and this is what the Globe reports they said: “Ukrainian staff members—some of whom have returned to their posts in Kyiv—said that they could not respond to requests for comment because of an internal hunt to find The Globe's unnamed sources. Several said they were afraid speaking out would cost them their jobs.”
I just would like yes or no. Is there an internal hunt to find these whistle-blowers at this time, Minister Joly?
Liberal
Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC
No, Heather, because there is no need for whistle-blowing.