Citizenship and Immigration Committee on June 11th, 2009

Evidence of meeting #22 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was child.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Review of the subject-matter of Bill C-37, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act, enacted in Second Session of the 39th Parliament

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Ken Neal As an Individual

Don Chapman Lost Canadian Organization

Marcel Gélinas As an Individual

Naeem Nick) Noorani (Founder/Publisher, Canadian Immigrant Magazine

Jacqueline Scott As an Individual

Dorinda Cavanaugh Director, Terre des hommes - Pour les enfants et Terre des hommes Ontario

Allan Nichols Executive Director, Concerned Group Representative, Canadian Expat Association

Sandra Forbes Executive Director, Children's Bridge

Sarah Pedersen Acting Executive Director, Adoption Council of Canada

Andrew Bilski Concerned adoptive parent, As an Individual

9:25 a.m.

Liberal

Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON

Do you, from time to time, get advertisements from the Government of Canada?

9:25 a.m.

Naeem (Nick) Noorani

I'm sorry?

9:25 a.m.

Liberal

Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON

Do you, from time to time, get advertisements from the Government of Canada for your magazine?

9:25 a.m.

Naeem (Nick) Noorani

I do.

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON

Have you received any money from CIC in the last year for advertisement in your magazine?

9:30 a.m.

Naeem (Nick) Noorani

Yes, I have.

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON

And how much would that have been, sir?

9:30 a.m.

Naeem (Nick) Noorani

I cannot answer that question—I don't have the figure.

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON

Have you received, sir, a lot of advertisement or some advertisement?

9:30 a.m.

Naeem (Nick) Noorani

Some advertisement.

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON

Sir, would I be wrong to say that some of this advertisement that you have received might today sort of cloud your judgment?

9:30 a.m.

Naeem (Nick) Noorani

I would respectfully disagree, sir. Apart from being a publisher, I am known as an immigrant advocate and have spoken out against several governments. My support is based on issues that I believe are good for my country.

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON

Mr. Noorani, would I be correct in saying that some of your publications in the last couple of years have been towards the favour of the Conservative government? Yes or no, sir.

9:30 a.m.

Naeem (Nick) Noorani

That would depend on the issue, Mr. Karygiannis.

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON

Did you support Bill C-50?

9:30 a.m.

Naeem (Nick) Noorani

I did not.

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON

Did you get ads for Bill C-50?

9:30 a.m.

Naeem (Nick) Noorani

I'm sorry?

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON

Did you get ads for Bill C-50 from the government?

9:30 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Tilson

I remind you, Mr. Karygiannis, that we're talking about Bill C-37.

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON

Thank you, Chair.

Sir, did you get ads for Bill C-50?

9:30 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Tilson

Sir, we're talking about Bill C-37.

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON

Sir, I've asked him if he received ads from the government.

9:30 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Tilson

And I'm telling you that we're dealing with Bill C-37, not Bill C-50.

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON

That's fine, but you can't tell me, sir, what to ask a witness. I'm asking him if he received ads.