Citizenship and Immigration Committee on Sept. 26th, 2006

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Okay.

I have to maybe bring that discussion to a close, because that's not part of our subcommittee report. I really have to deal with the subcommittee report.

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

Mr. Chair, the subcommittee was discussed before you were elected as chair. Going back to that, I think there are issues that have sort of cropped up over the summer, certainly issues that affect this committee and the work of this committee. I'm sure that if you were to canvass us, the majority of us around this table would certainly want to get the minister in our midst as soon as possible. If the minister doesn't want to come, I'm just wondering if the parliamentary secretary can share with us if there's a hidden agenda in the department.

[Ed Komarnicki, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

I don't know if I can respond to that, but I can tell you, if you listen to the tone of my response, that certainly that isn't the context in which your question was taken. I can assure you that there is no hidden agenda. I will certainly put your views forward and get a response to you, but you have to take it in the context of everything that is happening before this committee. We'll get back to you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Okay. I would ask....

[Ed Komarnicki, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Obviously the agenda itself may have some issues that we'd like to take some issue with, as well.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Again, I would ask that we get on to the subcommittee report. All we're really interested in here....

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

Mr. Chair, I was just wondering if you want to canvass the committee to see how many of us really want to see the minister here. Let's not dance around that issue. Canvass the committee to see how many of us want to see the minister in front of us to address the issues that have happened recently and the trial balloons that are out there.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Is that the wish of the committee?

Bill.

[Bill Siksay, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Mr. Chair, I just want to say that the planning committee did discuss the appearance of the minister. We decided very explicitly that we expect him to come, as he always has at the time of the supplementary estimates, and we will have a wide-ranging discussion then, as we always do. We do appreciate that he has been here twice in this Parliament already, in the short time that we have been around. I think that we've had great cooperation from the minister, and I want to express my appreciation to him. I don't share Mr. Karygiannis's hidden agenda issue and that kind of stuff.

If you need a mover for this proposed agenda, I'd so move. Just to let folks know, there are a number of other issues that we are going to work on as an agenda and planning committee to fill in the rest of the fall session.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

So it is agreed by the committee that we will wait until the minister presents supplementary estimates, fairly soon, and bring them before the committee, at which time, of course, we will have a very wide-ranging debate and two hours to talk to the minister on these issues.

Madame Folco.

[Raymonde Folco, Liberal, Laval—Les Îles, QC]

This is exactly the point I'd like to raise, Mr. Chair.

I understand that the supplementary estimates will be presented to the House before Christmas. That's what I see missing from this second report.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

The supplementary estimates will be in October, actually.

[Raymonde Folco, Liberal, Laval—Les Îles, QC]

All right.

The subcommittee's report goes up to November 2. Although I appreciate that we do not know what day the minister will be free to come and meet us, I would have expected that somewhere on that agenda there would have been--let's put it this way--a blank, saying somewhere that there will be a visit from the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to talk about the supplementary estimates. I'm really disappointed to see that the agenda is completely full, twice a week, up to November 2, without having a blank space somewhere to give us that visit from the minister.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Obviously the subcommittee report is a very important issue. People want to discuss it a little longer than the time we have available to us today.

Could I ask the committee to give us permission for the Tuesday and Thursday meetings--Tuesday on refugee issues, the Canadian Council for Refugees? Of course, the clerk needs permission now on this in order to give him some leeway to contact the various witnesses, and what have you. Then on Thursday we will presumably have more time to discuss this subcommittee agenda and your request, Mr. Karygiannis.

Could we have permission for Tuesday and Thursday's agenda on the subcommittee report?

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

Is it September 26 and September 28, or September 28 and October 3?

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

The meetings will be on October 3 and October 5. Then we'll discuss the subcommittee agenda at our next meeting.

[Raymonde Folco, Liberal, Laval—Les Îles, QC]

I'm sorry, Mr. Chairman, it's not clear to me exactly what you're proposing.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

We're looking at meeting on Tuesday, October 3, and Thursday, October 5, on the subcommittee report on refugee issues. It's to give the committee permission to call these witnesses on refugee issues for October 3 and October 5. On October 5, we will also talk about the subcommittee agenda.

[Barry Devolin, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

Point of order. Is there not a motion on the floor to accept this agenda? Why don't we just vote on it?

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

I was given the impression by a lot of members that they wanted to talk about the agenda and probably amend certain parts of it--add to it, delete from it, and what have you. I don't perceive that we have time to do that.

[Barry Devolin, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

We can revisit the agenda a week from now and choose it if we want to. If we pass the motion to accept this agenda, that gives the clerk the green light to go ahead and invite the witnesses next week, doesn't it?

[Bill Siksay, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

I so move.

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

I take it that Mr. Komarnicki or the Conservative Party certainly do not want the minister to appear before us. I'm just wondering what the hidden agenda is here.

[Raymonde Folco, Liberal, Laval—Les Îles, QC]

A point of order, Mr. Chair.

You moved very fast and I wasn't able to ask for a nominal vote. I would like to have a nominal vote, because it's not clear to me who's in favour and what we are in favour of.

(Motion agreed to) [See Minutes of Proceedings]

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

I think we have a consensus. We'll meet again on Thursday, October 5. Thank you.

The meeting is adjourned.