Subcommittee on International Human Rights Committee on June 18th, 2019

[Marwan Tabbara, Liberal, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you for having been in the position you are in for the few months that you've had the privilege of doing so. Thanks also to our previous chair.

Thanks to my colleagues. I've enjoyed our time, which has been well spent. I've learned lots from the opposite side. I really paid a lot of attention to a lot of their questioning and really enjoyed taking part in a wholesome discussion and making a difference for a lot of the witnesses who came. We've been cautious in terms of whether or not their names should be made public. We were cognizant of that. They've been through a lot of things and their families continue to suffer, whether overseas....

It's been a privilege to be on this committee. I think we've shed a light on places that have not gotten some of the attention. We've been at the forefront, I think, of sharing information on a lot of the instability that's been happening around the world and the human rights abuses. I think helping to spread those voices is an honour.

In terms of Ms. Hardcastle's motion on the Roma, although we did hear testimony, I don't think going to the next level in declaring a genocide would be appropriate for this committee. I would defer that to foreign affairs. They've dealt with a lot of these situations in the past. It's good for us to always shed a light, but I think it's something that could be deferred to foreign affairs.

Again, I want to thank the analysts and everyone else who gets this committee going each and every week. It's been an honour to serve.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anita Vandenbeld]

Mr. Sweet.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Flamborough—Glanbrook, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

I echo all the comments from everybody. Sometimes we worked through some tough issues and we managed to come out with some good results. Probably if we took the amalgam of all the committees, I think it was quite good.

I'm going to move a motion to go in camera so we can discuss what Ms. Hardcastle said, because we weren't advised of it. I think we have about six minutes left, but before we consider going in camera, I want to say that our witness, who's still here, Ms. Michels, mentioned the Uighurs, the Christians and Falun Gong, but I need to add to that list the Tibetans. That's another group that for so many decades has been subjected to great persecution by the People's Republic of China.

I'd like to conclude with that and then ask my colleagues whether they're good to go in camera to discuss Ms. Hardcastle's motion.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anita Vandenbeld]

Before we go in camera, I first want to say that probably one of the most profound events of my last four years as a member has been chairing this committee. I have tremendous respect, especially for the long-time members of the committee.

Mr. Anderson, you will be missed.

Mr. Sweet, thank you very much. I know how many years you've been on this committee as well.

I want to say that I think, in this place, with the partisanship and some of the things that go on in other committees, having a committee where we know that we are making a difference every single day, that we are giving a voice to people in the world who have absolutely no voice, who have nobody to stand up for them.... I think this committee is doing tremendous work, every single one of you.

I also think that we've set a wonderful precedent with the recognition award.

Thank you, Mr. Sweet, for that idea. It is something that is going to carry on, I hope. I think we are all proposing to the next incarnation of this committee that this carry on.

I want to say a tremendous thank you to our clerk. We have subjected her, at times, to a lot of logistical issues, doing things that are not necessarily in the box. Also, there are our analysts, who have sometimes burned the midnight oil to make sure they got us the materials we needed.

As well, thank you to the technical support and the interpreters. We've had three-way interpretation. We've had video conferences with every part of the world. I know the challenges that we've put them through. Especially to our staff, thank you. They sit in the back. We often don't see them or don't think about them, but they are the reason we're able to do what we do. To everybody who supports the committee, the clerk and of course the former clerk, who is also here, thank you very much.

I'm assuming we have some support to go in camera so that we can discuss the remainder of our committee business.

Thank you.

[Proceedings continue in camera]