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

Evidence of meeting #1 for Subcommittee on International Human Rights in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was public.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Election of Chair

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Clerk of the Committee Mr. Roger Préfontaine

Marcus Pistor Committee Researcher

1:45 p.m.

Liberal

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.

1:50 p.m.

Conservative

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?

1:50 p.m.

Conservative

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

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

1:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Scott Reid

Did you suggest a specific time?

1:50 p.m.

Conservative

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

I suggested 9 to 11 a.m.

1:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Scott Reid

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

1:50 p.m.

Liberal

Mario Silva Liberal Davenport, ON

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

1:50 p.m.

Conservative

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.

1:50 p.m.

Conservative

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?

1:50 p.m.

Conservative

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.

1:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Scott Reid

Is it 48 hours, or is it two sleeps?

1:50 p.m.

Conservative

Jason Kenney Conservative Calgary Southeast, AB

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

1:50 p.m.

Conservative

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.

1:50 p.m.

Conservative

Jason Kenney Conservative Calgary Southeast, AB

To consider the motion.

1:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Scott Reid

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

1:50 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

1:50 p.m.

Conservative

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.

1:50 p.m.

NDP

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.

1:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Scott Reid

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

I saw Mr. Silva's hand.

1:50 p.m.

Liberal

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?

1:50 p.m.

Conservative

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?

March 4th, 2008 / 1:55 p.m.

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.

1:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Scott Reid

Madame St-Hilaire.

1:55 p.m.

Bloc

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

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

1:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Scott Reid

For one hour only, on Tuesday.