Evidence of meeting #6 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 objection.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Okay, a recorded vote on the amendment.
Mr. Clerk, take the vote, please.
(Amendment agreed to: yeas 7; nays 4)
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
The question is on the motion as amended.
Is there any discussion on the motion as amended?
Mr. Trost.
Conservative
Bradley Trost Conservative Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I realize I'm fairly new to this committee as a substitute for someone else, so I don't completely understand the history of this. But one of the things I'm very curious about is the implications this would have for the Canadian Forces, particularly when we talk about wars not served with the United Nations.
Since this is essentially a discussion of the Iraq War, a lot of people forget that Canadian soldiers have served in the Iraq War. We have had--and maybe the Liberal members should listen to this since Canadian soldiers served in the Iraq War when they were in government. They did it in officer exchange programs with the British and with the American forces. In fact, we had a Canadian brigadier general who, to my understanding, was a senior commanding officer in Baghdad for a considerable length of time. I remember hearing the news clip of a Canadian army engineer who served with the British in the south during the invasion.
If we begin to imply, either implicitly or explicitly, that these wars are somewhat illegal, that these wars deserve conscientious objector status, that people from these wars that are not sanctioned by the...are we not implicitly condemning Canadian soldiers who served?
Conservative
Conservative
Bradley Trost Conservative Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK
I'm making my point. This point is relevant.
Canadian soldiers who served.... I would have a problem if we started to give conscientious objector status to people who served in military actions that Canadian soldiers also served in, particularly if they didn't object to it in the beginning.
So we should be careful not to condemn, in any of our actions here, Canadian servicemen and women who have cross-served in officer exchange programs.
December 6th, 2007 / 5:05 p.m.
Liberal
Conservative
Bloc
Meili Faille Bloc Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I wanted to move an amendment to the motion, but I won't do it. Mr. Karygiannis has persuaded me that the motion as it is worded would cover stay of removals and the possibility of people staying here while their applications are being considered, more broadly. I will therefore not be moving an amendment, but I want to speak to the present amendment.
I think that the proposal made by Mr. House, the lawyer who appeared before us, is reasonable. We cannot deny the fact that in Quebec, hundreds of thousands of people have opposed the war on numerous occasions. At that time, I was not an M.P., but I marched against the war in Iraq three times, in -34°C weather. Considerations regarding conscientious objectors should be included in the criteria when applications for humanitarian consideration are being examined. I support the motion as amended.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Mr. Chair, to be clear, to my knowledge, Canadian Forces have not participated in a war that was not sanctioned by the United Nations. Some of our soldiers might be in an exchange program with another country and would therefore have to go into Iraq. Our soldiers did not participate in a war that was not sanctioned by NATO. This war in Iraq--
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Mr. Trost, if you have something to say, put your name on the list and say it. Until then, give me the courtesy.
Conservative
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Mr. Chair, this motion clearly states the war is not sanctioned by the United Nations.
Conservative
Conservative
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
But do I not have the right to call the question at a committee?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Well, you'll answer to your colleague afterwards. He wished to speak.
NDP
Liberal