Foreign Affairs Committee on March 21st, 2023

[A voice]

No, not for Dr. Asogwa.

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Chair, what's the point of doing sound tests if, halfway through, it doesn't work?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

It's a connectivity issue, so it's up and down. It's beyond the control of anyone on our end here.

We are going to continue to have connectivity problems with Dr. Asogwa, so—

[Dr. Nkechi Asogwa]

I understand that you can hear me properly.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Yes. Now we can hear you properly.

Is there interpretation? Yes.

Let's hope and let's keep our fingers crossed that everything will be fine in terms of connectivity.

Let's continue on with our questions.

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

How much time did I have left, Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

You literally had five seconds left.

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

No, I didn't. I was timing it. It's three minutes and 10 seconds, and that doesn't even include the interruptions, Chair. I mean....

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Do you remember when you stopped this? It was—

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

Chair, you haven't been stopping my time. It's three minutes and 10 seconds. When there was a point of order raised, I stopped the time, and it's three minutes and 10 seconds.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

No. It was about 10 minutes to four. I specifically looked over—

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

Chair, importantly, if you're not fair with the time, we can go back—

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

I am fair with the time, Mr. Genuis.

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

Chair, let me finish now.

We can go back and verify who's right. We don't have time to do that now, but it will no doubt happen after the meeting. I suggest that you give me the remaining 50 seconds that I have to finish my time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

You did this previously as well, Mr. Genuis, in a previous round—

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

Yes, Chair, and—

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

I am telling you, Mr. Genuis, I looked at this watch and it was 10 minutes to four. However, to satisfy you, yes, we will go to the next question. If there was a deficit insofar as your question was concerned, we will add it to your second round.

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

Chair, I want to finish the round that I have. When there is a point of order, you stop the time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Sir, this is the second time, and you're just throwing everything into a tizzy, quite frankly, by doing it this way.

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

Chair, when there is a point of order, you stop the time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Okay.

Madam Clerk, did you have a chance to look at this watch when we suspended the question for Madam Asogwa? Remember, we just looked at it; it was here....

[The Clerk of the Committee, Ms. Ariane Gagné-Frégeau]

I don't know. I'm sorry.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Okay.

I am telling you that you are out of time right now. We will, in the interim, look to make sure, and if you have been shortchanged, we will add it to the second round. That's the best I can do, Mr. Genuis.

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

I look forward to the follow-up, Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you.

We will now go to Madam Bendayan for four minutes.