Evidence of meeting #19 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 39th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was process.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Rahim Jaffer Conservative Edmonton Strathcona, AB
We're not going to be required to bring our Hallowe'en costumes or anything, are we?
Conservative
Bloc
Meili Faille Bloc Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC
According to the proposal, will there be interpreters accompanying us?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Will there be interpreters to accompany us as well? Yes, there will be two.
We have approval for it.
Bill is moving the motion. All in favour?
(Motion as amended agreed to)
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
It is carried. That's that one.
On the Montreal conference, I'm told by the clerk he is having problems trying to get people to get back to him on this. He sent out a notice and he wanted to get some feedback from members on whether they're going or not. He sent it out a couple of weeks ago and the only one he has heard back from on this is probably Bill.
The motion for a travel budget to Montreal is:
That the Committee adopt the travel budget in the amount of $20,195.00 to cover the costs for members and staff to attend a seminar on “Taking the Lead: Refugee and Immigrant Youth” in Montreal from November 23 to November 25, 2006.
So far we don't have any indication of how many people will be going, but the budget is for $20,195, which will cover all 15 of the members and the necessary staff to go. We need that to be moved so that the committee can adopt a travel budget in the amount of $20,195. Do we have a mover for that? Do we have discussion on it?
It is moved by Madam Folco. All in favour?
(Motion agreed to)
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
That's about it. I'll present this to the Liaison Committee at the appropriate time.
At the end of your agenda, the UN High Commission for Refugees wishes to meet jointly with the DFAIT committee and our committee. That would be Foreign Affairs. They want to meet jointly on November 2, which would be at 2:40 p.m.
The Clerk
No. The foreign affairs committee is meeting this morning, and they're bringing it up at their meeting to see what time it will be. It's kind of recommended that it might be 11:30 to one o'clock, half an hour after our meeting that day.
It will be informal, but we'll still have interpretation and things of that nature. But everybody will be sitting around the table and it will maybe be more of an open concept.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
So it would be a joint meeting between the UN High Commission and the foreign affairs committee and our committee. It will be the foreign affairs committee, is what you're saying, and our committee.
So what do we need?
Yes, Madame Folco.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
They've scratched it out up here. It's November 2.
Madame Faille.
Bloc
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
What subject are we addressing, Clerk, or is it just general issues pertaining to refugees? Is it just general refugee issues? I haven't seen the agenda yet.
The Clerk
I have a little bit of background here I can hand out to the members of the committee.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Okay, we'll pass you out a little bit of background information, and maybe we can just go over it very quickly.
Go ahead, Bill.
NDP
Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Mr. Chair, just so we're clear, is it the actual commissioner who is in town that day and is that the occasion of this meeting?
NDP
Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Okay, I think that sounds like a very worthwhile meeting, and I would support it wholeheartedly. If you need a motion, I'd be happy to move the motion that we have this joint meeting.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Thank you. We'll just have a little bit of a discussion on it first. You're getting some information there as to what we might be talking about.
Concerning the rationale for the meeting, the UNHCR is the key actor in the overall international peace and security infrastructure and is among the most important UN humanitarian agencies, so I guess we'll be talking about humanitarian issues as they apply to refugees.
It is seeking to strengthen its capacity and responsiveness to have more effective delivery results, in keeping with the recent wider UN reform efforts.... It sounds like a very worthwhile....
Madame Faille.
Bloc
Meili Faille Bloc Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC
The next time you are in contact with them, could you ask them to tell us why the safe third country report is late in being tabled? It should have been tabled more than a year ago. Last time, we were told that it was only a matter of time. We are talking about something that specifically related to the impact brought to bear on refugees.
Conservative
Bloc
Meili Faille Bloc Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC
Could you ask them to make the necessary preparations and to submit a report to us so that we know where they are up to?
