Evidence of meeting #37 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 consultants.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:10 p.m.
An hon. member
There's nothing friendly about it.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
It has to be heard.
Mr. Siksay, the clerk makes the point that you can't propose anything now because your committee doesn't accept--
5:10 p.m.
NDP
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Yes, you did.
So the amendment is that we extend it to the 16th and add the word “preliminary”. Is that it?
5:10 p.m.
An hon. member
Yes.
5:10 p.m.
An hon. member
No.
5:10 p.m.
An hon. member
No “preliminary”....
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
That's fine, you'll have a chance to vote on that.
Okay, so Mr. Siksay, was that the motion?
5:10 p.m.
The Clerk
Okay. From Mr. Siksay, it is that the motion be amended by the insertion in line 5, between the words “convey its” and the word “recommendations”, the word “preliminary”; and, by substitution in line 6, for the number 9, the number 16.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Are we dealing here with the finance committee's motion that came from them, which was unanimous? Can we withdraw these amendments that interfere with their motion? Is that in line?
5:10 p.m.
The Clerk
Procedurally there's no interface between a letter from a committee and the--
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Okay, so you've heard the amendment. Have you heard the amendment?
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Okay, a recorded vote on the amendment.
(Amendment agreed to: yeas 7; nays 4)
Now do we vote on the main motion?
5:10 p.m.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
We have one more amendment, Mr. Chair. The amendment is actually to invite the Standing Committee on Finance, and that the joint proceedings occur and hear witnesses across Canada, commencing at the scheduled meeting immediately following the adoption of this motion.
Just to be very clear, I have this written, and the purpose is to make sure we operate in an efficient way, that we would hear witnesses across Canada. We could do so at this committee, but if possible, we could also invite the finance committee to do it together. There are precedents for that. I believe during the Afghanistan war discussion, the foreign affairs committee and defence came together and did a study.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
The first thing that should be pointed out before we entertain any more discussion on it is that we would have to go to our Liaison Committee for the budget. That budget would have to be passed. I don't know how long that would take, but I assume it would be at least a week in itself, or more, to get a budget prepared and to go to the Liaison Committee. It could take a couple of weeks. I know our last trip took a couple of weeks. I don't know how we can do cross-country hearings and be inside the deadline of the 16th. It would take almost to the 16th for me to get a budget before the Liaison Committee, so I think it's unreasonable to expect that.
Mr. Telegdi.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
Andrew Telegdi Liberal Kitchener—Waterloo, ON
I think with foreign affairs and defence, it makes sense because they're both covering Afghanistan. In terms of our having joined a cross-Canada tour with finance, it really doesn't make a whole lot of sense, any more than it would have made sense for them to go along with foreign affairs and defence. I think the committee will want to travel on this, but I don't think it makes any sense for us to be going along with finance. If finance felt they had expertise on this issue, they would be dealing with it themselves. We're the standing committee that deals with citizenship and immigration, so I wouldn't want to be dragging the finance committee along, because I think it would just complicate things. It's complicated enough for us as a committee to travel, which I think is a good idea, and we'll do that for the final report. I think travelling across the country is a good suggestion.
So I oppose having the finance committee coming along.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
We're dealing with Ms. Chow's amendment now. We're not going to deal with any more motions.
Was that a motion you made, Ms. Chow?
5:15 p.m.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
You raised a very good point about the timing. I think that since we had experience just a few weeks ago, certainly it will not take three weeks for us to get the show on the road, so to speak.
