Mr. Siksay.
Evidence of meeting #33 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 safe.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #33 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 safe.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Thank you, Chair.
I hear the suggestion, and I don't know when we're going to discuss that, but I also want to suggest that if we go on Monday to Kingston, we go first thing in the morning and come back that day. That way we'd maybe save some of the overnight costs that are in the budget.
I think we can probably do that in the same day.
The Clerk
Andrew wants to have the officials on February 19. Then on February 26 we start our witnesses, after which we have a two-week break.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Let's pay attention, members, so that we'll know what's going on here.
Liberal
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Yes.
On February 19 we will have the minister and officials, on February 26 we will have witnesses, and on March 19 we will have witnesses. We don't know if March 26 will be necessary, but we'll have four meetings if necessary. We'll monitor that and find out. We can do that.
Liberal
Andrew Telegdi Liberal Kitchener—Waterloo, ON
Mr. Chair, I also said that if we extend the—instead of being here two hours. Because once the witnesses get here, we might want to sit until 1:30 instead of 1 o'clock.
I'm very confident, given the witnesses we have, that we will want to have that fourth meeting in there.
Liberal
Andrew Telegdi Liberal Kitchener—Waterloo, ON
No, no, but we have to arrange it now. We want to have three meetings, which would take us up to March 26.
Conservative
Liberal
Andrew Telegdi Liberal Kitchener—Waterloo, ON
Oh, yes. We're paying for the people coming in. That's our cost. We want to get value for our money.
The Clerk
Mr. Chair, with regard to Mr. Siksay's request, I do not know how long it takes CBSA to approve people—
NDP
Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
My understanding is that for MPs, they require only 24 hours' notice for visits.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Yes.
[Technical difficulty—Editor]—leaders, the subcommittee on liaison would have to approve the budget. So you're saying that people should talk to their respective House leaders to see if that can be done.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
On that, Mr. Chair, there is a motion for Tuesday that asks that we allow media to come with us. I'm wondering if Mr. Siksay would agree that we deal with that motion first on Tuesday, and possibly do something else.
It is important that not only we as individuals are able to see them; in view of what the minister has said and in view of their living conditions, independent witnesses must also—
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Well, there is a motion on the floor. There is a motion for Tuesday.