Evidence of meeting #15 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 39th Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was estimates.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Madam Beaumier's motion is to defer for one month, after which we'll bring it up again and call witnesses.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Yes, okay.
We know what the motion is, to defer for a month.
(Motion agreed to) [See Minutes of Proceedings]
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Mr. Chair, before the budget comes in, can I bring up another item?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Okay. We are in public session. Do you want to bring this up in public?
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
In public, Mr. Chair.
I would like to know whether you or the clerk can give us an update as to what's happening to the request to have the minister come in front of us to give us the main estimates. It is Wednesday. If the minister has any intention of coming, with a 24-hour notice it would be on Thursday, Friday, or Monday. On Friday a lot of the members won't be here, so it's either tomorrow.... And since we don't have a 24-hour notice, then I will presume it's Monday.
Do we have an indication?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
There is no indication from the minister yet. The clerk informs me there is no indication from the minister whether she will be appearing before the committee.
Is that correct?
Liberal
Conservative
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Chair, can I ask you for a clarification?
What will happen if the minister doesn't come in front of us? Will the main estimates then move into the House by Monday at five o'clock? Where does that put the department and the responsibility of the department?
Conservative
The Clerk
I learned today that in fact the last allotted day is going to be Wednesday next, which means that three sitting days prior is Friday, the day after tomorrow. When the House adjourns on Friday, the supplementary estimates B will be deemed reported back to the House.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Mr. Chair, I find this totally unacceptable. I would ask of you, sir.... I don't know what language to use or what strength of language to use, but I think we need to summon the minister in front of this committee to explain herself.
If my colleagues at the end of the table, especially Ms. Chow, have anything to add to this conversation, that's great. If not, I would ask her to please give me the courtesy.
If the minister does not come in front of this committee to discuss the main estimates, that is an insult to this committee. This is not the way it has been done. The spirit of this committee then is put into a precarious situation.
I'm wondering whether the minister gives a hoot or gives a damn about this committee. She certainly is circumventing us. She is going around us. If I'm hearing that we don't have a 24-hour notice for her to be here tomorrow, and then on Monday these things get reported, the minister certainly has failed to do her work, and not only failed to do her work but has not paid respect to this committee.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Can anyone shed a little light on where the minister is or what the minister's schedule might be vis-a-vis supplementary estimates? Does anyone have any information?
I know the clerk contacted the minister's office and requested the appearance of the minister.
Is that fair to say, Mr. Clerk? Did you have any correspondence back from the minister's office on that?
Okay.
I think I saw Mr. St-Cyr first.
Bloc
Thierry St-Cyr Bloc Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I have nothing to propose in the short term, but I must nevertheless say that I am very dissatisfied. There are two possibilities: either the government is in bad faith, or it lacks respect for this committee. Or else it's incompetent. This seems to be quite an amateur effort. Normally it's the task and role of government to pass its own appropriations. The least she could do would be to find and set aside a little time in her schedule to deign to come and present her estimates to the committee.
The only possibility I see is that we ask the minister to come and see us tomorrow evening, since most of us will have to stay and vote, and that we request unanimous consent to eliminate the 24-hour notice.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
We'll hear Mr. Telegdi and Madam Chow, and then we'll see where we go from here.
