Evidence of meeting #8 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 c-17.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Les Linklater  Director General, Immigration Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Clerk of the Committee  Mr. Andrew Chaplin
Leslie Ann Jeffrey  Associate Professor, Department of History and Politics, University of New Brunswick, As an Individual
John Muise  Director, Public Safety, Canadian Centre for Abuse Awareness
Janet Dench  Executive Director, Canadian Council for Refugees
Francisco Rico-Martinez  Former President, Canadian Council for Refugees

5:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

5:30 p.m.

Executive Director, Canadian Council for Refugees

Janet Dench

I would just clarify that we are against this bill, not that we don't want to take any steps. We have a global proposal we are urging you to consider separately. In the meantime, we are urging you to reject this particular step, because we think it is going in the wrong direction. There are many other things we continue to urge the government to do, but we ask you to oppose this particular bill.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle

Thank you for coming here today. I wish we had more time. Thank you very much. If we need you again, of course we'll call.

Could I ask members of the committee to stay behind for just a moment?

Do we have unanimous consent to deal with a point of order from Mr. Karygiannis?

5:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle

On a point of order, I recognize Mr. Karygiannis.

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON

Mr. Chair, on a point of order, last year, before this committee suspended in the summertime, we gave a list of witnesses for different things that we're studying. Why have we been asked to resubmit this list by the clerk?

I brought this to your attention earlier, and you said we shouldn't have to do that.

My question is, if we submit it—

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle

This is a list of witnesses for what?

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON

It's for refugees, for undocumented workers—

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

Dave Batters Conservative Palliser, SK

You mean topics of study.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle

Topics of study; that's what you mean.

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON

We had submitted a list. Why is that list again being looked upon? We asked—

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle

Maybe we can ask the clerk that.

Has a request gone out for an additional list of witnesses?

5:30 p.m.

The Clerk

Yes.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle

Is that because we didn't have a complete list?

5:30 p.m.

The Clerk

No, it's because—

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle

Order, please.

5:30 p.m.

The Clerk

—there have been changes to the membership of the committee. The agreement of that previous committee, in the previous session, doesn't bind this committee, and it is normal that the new members would get a chance give their input.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle

Okay.

The explanation has been given. We can pursue this at another time, if you wish.

The meeting is adjourned.