Subcommittee on International Human Rights Committee on Feb. 20th, 2007

[Wayne Marston, NDP, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

It makes life easier.

Lately, constituents across Canada have been talking to members of our party concerning the situation in China, particularly for Koreans who have gone there. When they had the big famine in 1995, there was a lot of movement there. With the government of the day in Korea, the threat of nuclear action and nuclear development has now caused a lot of concerns.

We thought it appropriate to bring forward witnesses to testify in relation to China, where we're already studying China.

[The Chair, Conservative, Jason Kenney]

Okay. All in favour of Mr. Marston's motion?

(Motion agreed to) [See Minutes of Proceedings]

[The Chair, Conservative, Jason Kenney]

I next have to receive approval from the committee for a request from the liaison committee for $22,900 for operations, including having witnesses appear before us regarding the study on human rights in China. Can I receive a motion to approve this request?

[An hon. member]

I so move.

[The Chair, Conservative, Jason Kenney]

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Jason Kenney]

I'd invite people to submit names of witnesses.

Go ahead and speak to this, Marcus.

[Marcus Pistor, Committee Researcher]

Mr. Marston, if I could clarify the situation of North Korean refugees in China, would it be part of the study on human rights in China and incorporated into the report, or would you see it as a separate thing?

[Wayne Marston, NDP, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

I actually saw it as separate. As I was reading it, it kind of stood out to me the other way, but it was seen as separate.

[Marcus Pistor]

Okay, thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Jason Kenney]

The clerk has proposed that I mention next week's appearance at this point.

Have we confirmed these four witnesses? We have confirmed Monsieur Mendes and Mr. d'Aquino. What is the status on Mr. Lu Ducheng?

[Marcus Pistor]

The one concern--just to clarify that--is the amount of time devoted to the meeting if we have up to four witnesses, plus we have the session with the officials from DFAIT on the confidential portions of Mr. Burton's report, and there was an agreement to discuss a draft outline for the report on the bilateral human rights issue. That's a lot of items for a single meeting.

[The Chair, Conservative, Jason Kenney]

Do you mean the Burton report?

[Marcus Pistor]

There are two separate things. The Burton report involves DFAIT officials. It's an in-camera meeting, but we would need, I'd imagine, at least half an hour. There was also some time to be scheduled to discuss what would go into a draft report on China so that I could start drafting over our two-week break period. That's up to the committee.

[The Chair, Conservative, Jason Kenney]

Because Mr. Silva's keen on Professor Mendes, we'll definitely keep him on here. I'd like to strongly press for Mr. Lu Ducheng as a witness. He has a unique perspective we haven't heard. And I don't think Mr. d'Aquino is going to add anything that wasn't already added today by our witnesses. Unless someone disagrees, I—

[Kevin Sorenson, Conservative, Crowfoot, AB]

Which Mr. d'Aquino is this?

[The Chair, Conservative, Jason Kenney]

Thomas d'Aquino. He is the president of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives. I don't think it will be a different perspective, but the staff is advising us to trim our witnesses.

Is it all right if we do it in that way?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Mario Silva, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Would it also be helpful, Mr. Chair, if we could just go for one round of questioning?

[Marcus Pistor]

We could have 45 minutes with Mr. Mendes and 45 minutes with Mr. Lu Ducheng, and then go to half an hour on the Burton report and half an hour on the draft outline. Would that be okay?

[The Chair, Conservative, Jason Kenney]

Yes.

All right. Part of the meeting next week will be this in-camera hearing so we can finally see the very prosaic, edited bits of the Burton report.

Mr. Sorenson.

[Kevin Sorenson, Conservative, Crowfoot, AB]

On another issue, Mr. Chair, just to let you know, there have been two motions that have been referred from the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, just in the two hours previous to our meeting today. They are, first of all, that the committee refer a request for a hearing on Colombia from the Canadian Council for International Co-operation to the Subcommittee on International Human Rights. The second point was that the committee refer a request for a hearing on Uganda from GuluWalk to the Subcommittee on International Human Rights. That was taken up in the steering committee and passed at our standing committee, that we look at those two subjects.

[The Chair, Conservative, Jason Kenney]

We'll have to do too many in a week to get to all this.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you very much. We will call the meeting adjourned.