Evidence of meeting #39 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was children.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Sharalyn Jordan  Member of the Board, Rainbow Refugee Committee
Christine Morrissey  Founder and Member of the Board, Rainbow Refugee Committee
Michael Deakin-Macey  Past President, Board of Directors, Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society, As an Individual
John Amble  As an Individual
Richard Stanwick  President Elect, Canadian Paediatric Society
Glynis Williams  Executive Director, Action Réfugiés Montréal
Jenny Jeanes  Program Coordinator, Action Réfugiés Montréal
Marie Adèle Davis  Executive Director, Canadian Paediatric Society
Gina Csanyi-Robah  Executive Director, Roma Community Centre
Maureen Silcoff  Representative, Roma Community Centre

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Frank Valeriote Liberal Guelph, ON

You have to let him finish.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Tilson

Ms. James—

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

Roxanne James Conservative Scarborough Centre, ON

Yes, Chair?

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Tilson

—you have to let him finish. You asked a question. He's in the middle of his answer. Just calm down and let him finish.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

Roxanne James Conservative Scarborough Centre, ON

I only have a set number of minutes, and I would like to get a yes or a no answer on my particular question, because it was very specific.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Tilson

Obviously, you're not going to get that.

Ms. James, I'm not going to stop the clock, so let him finish.

Go ahead, Mr. Stanwick.

5:30 p.m.

President Elect, Canadian Paediatric Society

Dr. Richard Stanwick

The decisions about the risks and what steps to be taken have to be left to the elected officials sitting around this room. If you have to impose these conditions, and you believe there is a risk to the community, we're asking you to keep in mind how vulnerable children are and take steps to protect them. If you are going forward with Bill C-31, then we have made recommendations that, if this is the request and this is the appropriate course of action that this government decides, you please keep children in mind when you're housing them, their education, and all those things.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

Roxanne James Conservative Scarborough Centre, ON

Thank you.

I commend you for your concern about the child. As a parliamentarian, I'm concerned about the child as well, but I'm also concerned about Canada as a nation and the Canadian citizens I'm responsible to.

Again my question to you, sir, is, if one of those persons who had a child with them could not be identified, do you think they should be released into the general community and be integrated without the government’s knowing exactly who this person is? It's really a simple yes or no answer, in this particular case, just this simple case.

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Frank Valeriote Liberal Guelph, ON

Mr. Chair, I have a point of order.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

Roxanne James Conservative Scarborough Centre, ON

I'm just not getting an answer.

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Tilson

What?

5:35 p.m.

President Elect, Canadian Paediatric Society

Dr. Richard Stanwick

The answer to that is—

5:35 p.m.

Liberal

Frank Valeriote Liberal Guelph, ON

I don't think anybody should be restricted to a yes or no answer, when there's more context that needs to be given to the question.

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

Roxanne James Conservative Scarborough Centre, ON

I receive the—

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON

Who's chairing here? Is it Mr. Valeriote?

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Tilson

I don't know. I've lost control of the meeting.

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

Roxanne James Conservative Scarborough Centre, ON

And I'm not trying—

5:35 p.m.

President Elect, Canadian Paediatric Society

Dr. Richard Stanwick

Mr. Chair, I've treated the children of murderers—

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Tilson

Everybody's talking.

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

Ted Opitz Conservative Etobicoke Centre, ON

A point of order, Mr.—

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Tilson

No.

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

Ted Opitz Conservative Etobicoke Centre, ON

I can't raise a point of order?

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Tilson

No.

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

Ted Opitz Conservative Etobicoke Centre, ON

Why?

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Tilson

Because I'm dealing with Mr. Valeriote, and you guys have to wait until I finish with one point of order and another point of order. Your turn will come.

Have you finished?