Citizenship and Immigration Committee on Feb. 16th, 2016

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Thank you very much. I'm just processing the wording of the friendly amendment, and I thank the clerk's office very much in producing that in quick order here, but maybe I didn't make myself as clear as I could have.

Just to clarify, I think it is important to note the distinction between “as required” and “the committee's desire”. It certainly is my view, and I won't speak for the rest of the committee members, that I desire the minister to reappear before this committee, and not “as required”.

I know that we would need the minister to reappear before this committee once we have our work schedule organized. Could we amend the motion to reflect that, rather than saying “as required”? “As required” is very loose terminology, if you will, and I meant it to be a little more of a directive and to say that it is the committee's desire for the minister to reappear once we have our work schedule organized.

[The Chair, Liberal, Borys Wrzesnewskyj]

I can see the clerk busily making notes.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

I'm sorry at this lack of clarity on my first round.

[The Chair, Liberal, Borys Wrzesnewskyj]

We'll take a moment and allow the clerk to get the wording down.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Thanks very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Borys Wrzesnewskyj]

The motion reads as follows:

That the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and Departmental Officials be invited to the next meeting or at his earliest convenience in order to discuss the ministerial mandate letter; and that the Minister and officials be invited back at the Committee's request.

Mr. Tilson.

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

I have a question, Mr. Chairman, for Mr. Virani.

Is the minister available on Thursday?

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

I am not aware of whether he is available on Thursday. He's currently out of the country, but I'm not sure if he'll be back on Thursday.

[The Chair, Liberal, Borys Wrzesnewskyj]

Just for clarification, it does say at the “earliest convenience”.

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

That could be two months from now.

To Mr. Virani, I understand if he's not available on Thursday, but “his earliest convenience” could mean anything. It could mean—

[The Chair, Liberal, Borys Wrzesnewskyj]

I think the word “earliest” clarifies that.

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Really? We'll hold you to that, Mr. Chairman.

[The Chair, Liberal, Borys Wrzesnewskyj]

Thank you, Mr. Tilson.

We have the motion before us. Do we have unanimous consent?

[Shaun Chen, Liberal, Scarborough North, ON]

Mr. Chair, I wanted to speak to it.

I absolutely support the motion as amended. I think it's very important for us to hear from the minister. It will help us determine and set an agenda moving forward. By no means does it mean we are using what the minister is saying as our agenda. I absolutely agree with Ms. Rempel that this is an opportunity for us to examine the issues that the minister can bring forward through the mandate letter.

I believe the wording is good, because it allows us to work with the minister to find a time that's convenient, and hopefully as soon as possible. Obviously, the parliamentary secretary is not his scheduling assistant and would not know the minister's schedule.

I look forward to this conversation, and I hope that the committee supports it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Borys Wrzesnewskyj]

Thank you.

If there are no further comments, it appears we have unanimous consent.

(Motion as amended agreed to)

[The Chair, Liberal, Borys Wrzesnewskyj]

Thank you.

Is there anything else on the agenda for today?

Perhaps the two vice-chairs could stay behind after the meeting and we could discuss a convenient time for the subcommittee to have its first meeting.

If there is no other business, someone could move to close the meeting.

[Shaun Chen, Liberal, Scarborough North, ON]

I so move.

[The Chair, Liberal, Borys Wrzesnewskyj]

Mr. Chen, thank you. It's unanimous.

The meeting is adjourned.