Citizenship and Immigration Committee on Dec. 12th, 2023

[Arielle Kayabaga, Liberal, London West, ON]

I'm sorry, but I'm speaking. I have the floor right now.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Ms. Kayabaga, go ahead. The floor is yours.

[Arielle Kayabaga, Liberal, London West, ON]

Thank you.

I would like to get a copy of the original press release requested by MP Kwan and the one that was released and distributed to the committee. If you don't have that right now, maybe we could suspend while we look for that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Go ahead on a point of order, Mr. McLean.

[Greg McLean, Conservative, Calgary Centre, AB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I think that suspending would be the wrong thing to do at this time, because we're trying to actually accomplish something in this committee. There is a point of privilege that's been raised, which I think is a very valid point of privilege.

I also want to indicate to this committee that there have been a few meetings now where we've had on the agenda to address the study into what's happening with the mandatory provident fund in Hong Kong and how Canadians are being affected by that with their insurance companies in Canada. I'm wondering if we'll get the chance to get to that today, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

We have a hard stop at 5:30 p.m. I still have a list of speakers to speak. The only other people who are allowed are those with a point of order; otherwise, I have a speaking list.

Ms. Kwan, on a point of order, go ahead, please.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

It seems to me that the Liberal members are asking for some sort of press release that I had drafted up. I didn't draft up a press release, Mr. Chair. Rather, the only press release that exists is the one that the former chair had—

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

This is debate, but you could—

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

I am just trying to clarify exactly a point that Ms. Kayabaga had actually raised. I just want to make it clear with respect to that.

The only press release that exists is the one the former chair had issued on behalf of the committee, without consulting the committee, which is contrary to the motion that the committee had passed. To that end, there isn't a press release that I have drafted up, Mr. Chair.

I also just want to raise, with respect to this point of order, the allegation that somehow there is an ulterior motive with respect to this. As I stated early on when I brought this motion back, this is indeed unfinished business. I did not interrupt the previous work in the last six months or so because I did not want to interrupt the important work we were embarking on. As you can see, there is a filibuster going on with this motion right now. If this motion had been brought up at a different time, much of the work we needed to do could actually have been derailed, which I did not want to do, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Thank you, Ms. Kwan.

There is a point of order.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

I was first on a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

There is another point of order.

[Shafqat Ali, Liberal, Brampton Centre, ON]

Yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

There are two points of order right now.

I have Mr. Ali, and then I will come to you, Mr. Redekopp.

Mr. Ali, go ahead.

[Shafqat Ali, Liberal, Brampton Centre, ON]

Can we suspend the meeting, because we need to discuss—

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

I am not suspending the meeting—

[Shafqat Ali, Liberal, Brampton Centre, ON]

One second. I haven't finished, Mr. Chair.

We need to take a look at the text of the press release. That is the reason I requested that, please.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Thank you, Mr. Ali.

I will go to Mr. Redekopp.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Just on your mention of a hard stop, I would just question what time we started. I don't believe we have a hard stop at 5:30 p.m. because normally it would be two hours from when we started, and then potentially extra time would be added to that.

Could you just confirm the logic on a hard stop at 5:30 p.m.?

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

We all know that there is a Christmas party for the Liberals. We can go all night. You understand that we accommodate in all circumstances. As chair, I always listen to all the members. Even when Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe came up.... I don't take sides on this one. I would appreciate it if we can accommodate that.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

I have a point of order, then, on that.

I'd need to see in the book where a Christmas party is a reason to stop a meeting.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

No, it's not a reason. Any time members want to—

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Then I would still ask you to tell me when the meeting started and when the two hours of a normal meeting are up.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Okay, we'll do that.

We started the meeting at 3:50, and the hard stop would be at 5:50, but I will give another 10 minutes because we suspended in between. The hard stop will be at six o'clock. If everyone agrees, then I will adjourn the meeting at six o'clock.

We will go back to the debate now.

Mr. Drouin.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

On a point of clarification, Mr. Chair, the notice of meeting says 5:30 p.m. I respect my Conservative colleagues, but I am sure they would love to continue this meeting tomorrow at six o'clock, and I'll be there—