Evidence of meeting #56 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was interference.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Stéphane Perrault  Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Canada
Caroline Simard  Commissioner of Canada Elections, Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections
David Vigneault  Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
Michelle Tessier  Deputy Director, Operations, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
Commissioner Michael Duheme  Deputy Commissioner, Federal Policing, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Caroline Xavier  Chief, Communications Security Establishment
David Morrison  Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Rob Stewart  Deputy Minister, International Trade, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Clerk of the Committee  Ms. Miriam Burke

4:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bardish Chagger

Mr. Gerretsen, yesterday the conversation that took place was that, when the committee has taken a decision on anything, it cannot be retaken unless there's unanimous consent. If we would like to see it repeated.... I see some heads nodding.

Would we like to see the subamendment revoted on?

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON

I'll ask for reconsideration of that, if there's unanimous consent.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bardish Chagger

Is there unanimous consent to reconsider it?

4:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON

Just to be clear, we're now back on Ms. Normandin's subamendment.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bardish Chagger

Is that suitable? Can I get some heads nodding on the screen—up and down, or left and right?

Mr. Julian.

4:30 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC

I support that, Madam Chair.

Could you just reread it so that everybody understands what the subamendment does?

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bardish Chagger

The subamendment will be removing the changes to (a) in the amendment, which means that the original paragraph as per your motion would stand. Then the other changes would remain, which are in Mr. Cooper's amendment.

Are we all on the same page? We have unanimous consent to redo the vote on the subamendment.

Madam Clerk, I am calling the question on Ms. Normandin's subamendment.

(Subamendment agreed to: yeas 7; nays 4 [See Minutes of Proceedings])

We will now go back to the amendment.

I'm starting a new list, so if you want to be on the speakers list, please put your hand up.

We'll start with Mr. Julian on the amendment.

4:30 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

I think the best—

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bardish Chagger

I'm sorry, Mr. Julian. If I can just clarify, it is the amendment as amended.

4:30 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC

Yes.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bardish Chagger

Thank you.

4:30 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC

Yes, and since we have amended by defeating the first clause, I want to offer a subamendment to the second clause.

I think that probably the best way to go through this is to have votes on each of the individual clauses given the scope of it. I would strike “all” from the amendment. It would read: “That this inquiry be granted all necessary powers to call witnesses from the government and from political parties”, and I'll speak briefly to that. Again, there may be consensus around some clauses—

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bardish Chagger

Mr. Julian, if I may, I'm seeking clarification. In the amendment as amended, you are just removing the word “all” and—

4:30 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC

Yes.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bardish Chagger

—it's now the new first paragraph.

4:30 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC

No. It's the second paragraph.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bardish Chagger

All right.

Is everyone okay? Do we all get it? He's just removing the word “all” in the amendment as amended.

Go ahead, Mr. Julian.

4:30 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC

Again, I think it's good to be treating each of these paragraphs separately as we work through. Hopefully, we've resolved the first paragraph and, hopefully, we have consensus around the second. The amendment that was offered takes away the specific references I had put in my motion, but at the same time, I think there has been an indication from a number of quarters around the table that they don't necessarily like these specific mentions.

In any event, the inquiry can call witnesses from the government and from political parties. I would support the subamendment and then the amendment that is ultimately stripping away the specific references that were in my motion.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bardish Chagger

Thank you, Mr. Julian.

Mr. Turnbull's hand is up, and I want to take names.

Go ahead, Mr. Turnbull.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Ryan Turnbull Liberal Whitby, ON

Madam Chair, I just need to clarify. I'm utterly baffled as to where we're at. Could someone maybe just cover and restate what's going on now? I realize that we went back, with unanimous consent, to Ms. Normandin's subamendment. We voted in favour of that, or that did pass, and now I'm not quite understanding what Mr. Julian is proposing. Maybe he can restate and clarify for the committee.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bardish Chagger

Mr. Julian is removing the word “all” from the amendment as a subamendment.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Iqra Khalid Liberal Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON

I have a point of clarification, Madam Chair.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bardish Chagger

Before I go to you, Ms. Khalid, in the amendment in the second paragraph, it says, “That this inquiry be granted all necessary powers to call witnesses from the government”. He is removing the word “all” before “political parties”. Is that correct, Mr. Julian?

4:35 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC

Yes.