Foreign Affairs Committee on Feb. 17th, 2022

Evidence of meeting #7 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 conflict.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Briefing on the Current Situation in Ethiopia

Committee Business

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Tarik Khan Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Sub-Saharan Africa Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Hilary Childs-Adams Special Advisor for Ethiopia, Sub-Saharan Africa Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Stephen Salewicz Director General, International Humanitarian Assistance, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Gwyn Kutz Director General, Peace and Stabilization Operations Program, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Clerk of the Committee Ms. Erica Pereira

5:35 p.m.

Liberal

Ali Ehsassi Liberal Willowdale, ON

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have several observations.

First of all, I want to thank the clerk for having conveyed that message to the two ministers.

My concern is that if there were to be any insistence, either we will not hear from those ministers or, if we do, given how incredibly busy they are, that it will not be for several months.

My sense would be that we're best off just proceeding with this and, as Mr. Oliphant said, devoting the second hour to their staff, who can be just as useful in providing us the necessary information—the departmental officials.

Thank you.

5:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sven Spengemann

Thank you very much, Mr. Ehsassi.

Mr. Aboultaif.

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB

Thank you, Chair.

I think it will be beneficial to send in the request made by the committee based on the agreement, which was for two ministers to appear separately for two hours each. If that's correct, I think it would be normal to go back and say, “We've requested, based on the wish of the committee, having each one of you separately for two hours and we hope that you will reconsider.”

I think that would be a fair ask. We're not going to put them in any tough position. I'm sure they're both generous. The committee has a lot of questions. It's an opportunity to have both ministers on both fronts. That would be great, I think, and very beneficial for what the committee does and for the report that's going to come out after that.

I think, Chair, that you can go back and say that, based on the first request. I think it would be nice to go back and remind them about what we've requested. Hopefully, they will respond positively.

Thank you.

5:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sven Spengemann

Members, thank you very much for your views.

I think that with respect to tonight and the next step, if you agree, we could do that. We could just go back to the ministers without a signal of insistence or compulsion, which we cannot do, but to just let ministers know what the committee decided, and then receive the reaction and engage in further discussions through the office of the clerk and me to make sure that members will have time with the ministers and the officials as well.

Is that agreeable?

5:40 p.m.

Conservative

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

I'm good with that, Mr. Chair.

5:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sven Spengemann

Is there any opposition to that?

5:40 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

5:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sven Spengemann

That seems unanimous as the next step, even though it may not answer the question fully.

Thank you for that guidance tonight.

Travel safely.

We stand adjourned until our next meeting.