Subcommittee on International Human Rights Committee on March 4th, 2008

[Mario Silva, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

That's right. I think we all need to lobby our own whips and House leaders about having this committee as a full standing committee. You, as chair, should lobby your own government to see if that could happen.

I've spoken to my whip about this issue. I think the concern for some is that there are so many standing committees at the moment that they are worried about how another standing committee will impact the members. I've asked why it is not possible to have this as a standing committee with the same composition. Why do you have to have five from the Conservatives and five from the Liberals, etc.? The composition has worked very well. Why don't we keep the same composition? It's not an extra burden. I think there's a way for them to do that. If there's agreement, then we could proceed.

It should be one of the main goals of this committee, to try and make it a full standing committee. Otherwise, you're going to be very frustrated, Mr. Chair, knowing that a lot of our work is not going to go very far.

[The Chair, Conservative, Scott Reid]

That's duly noted.

We've come to the end of the speaking order. Is there anyone else who wishes to make a comment?

Seeing no one, we have one item that requires immediate action, and that is the question of Shirin Ebadi coming before this committee.

I gather, Mr. Sweet, you are the one who introduced this. She is in town on Thursday only?

[David Sweet, Conservative, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON]

Yes, that's the only time I see that we can accommodate her.

[The Chair, Conservative, Scott Reid]

Did you suggest a specific time?

[David Sweet, Conservative, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON]

I suggested 9 to 11 a.m.

[The Chair, Conservative, Scott Reid]

Would she be available, if we were to do that?

[Mario Silva, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Would this be a one-time meeting? That timing is problematic for me, as I have committees.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON]

That's correct. It's certainly fine with me, Mr. Chairman. It's to accommodate her schedule, as she is in Montreal the next day.

[The Chair, Conservative, Scott Reid]

Bearing in mind tha:t this is a one-off, is it agreeable that we invite Shirin Ebadi to come here from 9 to 11 a.m. on Thursday?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Technically, for us to consider that as a motion would require unanimous consent to waive the 48-hours' notice provision.

[The Chair, Conservative, Scott Reid]

Is it 48 hours, or is it two sleeps?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Whatever it is, I think formally you need unanimous consent to waive the notice requirement.

[The Chair, Conservative, Scott Reid]

You've initiated a procedural discussion up here, Mr. Kenney. The clerk tells me it is substantive and that we need unanimous consent.

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Calgary Southeast, AB]

To consider the motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Scott Reid]

Mr. Kenney is quite right. Do we have unanimous consent to consider Mr. Sweet's motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Conservative, Scott Reid]

Now that we have that, is it agreeable to have Shirin Ebadi before us from 9 to 11 a.m. on Thursday?

(Motion agreed to)

The clerk and researcher have advised that the updated versions of the China report and the Cuba summary of testimony will be circulated to your offices and hopefully available to you by the Thursday meeting.

The other matter I want to discuss is the question of choosing a firm date for our regular meetings. We could meet at this hour or at a different time. Are there any comments on that?

Mr. Marston.

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

We met on Tuesdays from 11 until 1 o'clock. That worked well for me, but I don't know about the rest of the committee.

[The Chair, Conservative, Scott Reid]

I have to admit it's problematic for me and Mr. Sweet.

I saw Mr. Silva's hand.

[Mario Silva, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

I was going to agree with that time, but it looks like it's problematic.

Could we be provided with a list of possible times for the next meeting and then see what time fits everybody's schedule?

[The Chair, Conservative, Scott Reid]

The clerk has just handed me such a list. I gather he already did that exercise with you.

Why don't you explain the problems to us?

[The Clerk]

I have a list here of different times of committees and when members sit. There is no magic solution here. The subcommittee originally asked to sit at 5:30, and that doesn't seem to be possible. My conclusion through this exercise is that Tuesdays from one to two o'clock is the most possible option.

[The Chair, Conservative, Scott Reid]

Madame St-Hilaire.

[Caroline St-Hilaire, Bloc, Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC]

So then, the committee would meet for only one hour?

[The Chair, Conservative, Scott Reid]

For one hour only, on Tuesday.