Citizenship and Immigration Committee on Nov. 20th, 2007

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

The meeting will come to order. We have quorum.

First on the agenda are the routine motions.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

I'll move the extended routine motions in front of you, just to get them on the floor.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Do you want adoption of the routine motions?

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

It is just to get them on the floor for discussion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

There is a motion on the floor to move adoption of the routine motions.

Is there any discussion on that?

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

Mr. Chair, one thing I want to bring to the attention of the clerk--I previously discussed this somewhat with him--is the routine motion with respect to the subcommittee on agenda and procedure. It references the names of people, but that actually was pursuant to a notice of motion that was passed at the October 5, 2006, meeting.

I would maybe like to distribute this to the opposite members. I'll just indicate why I think it should be corrected, if I may.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

That is the correction on....

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

It is on the routine motions that we have before us. I would ask for an amendment to correct this motion before the House.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

That the committee requests that the chair write to the chair of the Standing Committee on Human Resources...or, no, it was agreed that notwithstanding the motion adopted by the committee on Monday, May 8, the subcommittee on agenda and procedure be composed of two Conservative members, one being the chair and the other not the parliamentary secretary; two Liberal members; and one member from the Bloc and New Democratic parties.

Is there any discussion?

What is the parliamentary secretary asking?

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

Mr. Chair, can I just have a quick look at that motion?

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Has the parliamentary secretary distributed the proper paper?

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

Mr. Chair, if you look at the first page, at the bottom, that was the motion that actually was last passed. So the current routine motion should have that in there. Okay?

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Yes, okay.

We're on routine motions. Is it my understanding that the committee would want us to go individually through each routine motion that we have before us?

[An hon. member]

Yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Okay.

We'll begin with the first motion:

That the Committee retain, as needed and at the discretion of the Chair, the services of one or more analysts from the Library of Parliament to assist it in its work.

Of course, we have that, if I'm not mistaken.

Madame Faille.

[Meili Faille, Bloc, Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC]

Would it be possible to obtain the document in French? A document was distributed, but we do not have the French version.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

You're referring to the document that was distributed by the parliamentary secretary?

You don't have it in French?

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

No, I don't. Because we're dealing with the routine proceedings, and an amendment to the proceedings....

I mean, I can do it verbally. I'm just giving that for the information of the group. It's not a motion or anything like that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

We should have it in both official languages, you're quite correct.

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

Here's the point: I can read the amendment verbally, if you like, and then you can do what you want with it. That was just for ease of reference because we're dealing with routine motions and it's an issue of amending the motion.

I can do it on the spot, verbally, if you like.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

That's the amendment to the first routine motion, that the committee retain the services of analysts from the Library of Parliament?

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

There is no amendment to that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

There's no amendment to it. Ms. Chow has moved it already.

Number two currently reads,

That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of Norman Doyle, Rahim Jaffer, Raymonde Folco, Andrew Telegdi, Meili Faille and Bill Siksay.

We have to change this, of course. We don't have Mr. Siksay, Ms. Folco, or Mr. Jaffer on the committee any more.

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

Mr. Chair, I'll just proceed directly to the first amendment I'd like to make. We'll see how that one goes, and then we'll do the second one.

I propose that it read:That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of the Chair, the two Vice-Chairs, the Parliamentary Secretary, a second member from the Liberal Party, and a member from the other opposition Party, that the quorum of the subcommittee shall consist of at least three members, one of whom must be from the government, and that each member of the subcommittee shall be permitted to have one assistant attend at any meetings of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

You've heard the amendment. Let's move to the discussion.

Mr. Komarnicki.