Evidence of meeting #37 for Subcommittee on International Human Rights in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was children.
A video is available from Parliament.
12:55 p.m.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Is there time for us to have some off-line conversations about that? We're a little bit up against the time here, and sometimes it's better if these conversations can happen more informally and/or in camera.
In order to work back from a November 10 proposal, how quickly do we have to give general direction for the development of such a proposal? We have two more regularly scheduled meetings.
1 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Fayçal El-Khoury
Member, they could prepare and send their recommendations to me, and then we'll take care of it from there.
1 p.m.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
That sounds great. We can send ideas to you to be circulated among the members, and hopefully some consensus will develop by email.
1 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Fayçal El-Khoury
Absolutely.
We need them by the end of the week, please. Thank you.
That will conclude our meeting for today—
1 p.m.
NDP
Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Thank you.
I have a couple of very quick things.
First of all, in terms of the protection of our witnesses, does the committee have any interest in either allowing the witnesses to be anonymous or allowing them to give their testimony in camera? Would that be reasonable?
I'd like to have a discussion, because this committee has run into problems before when people who have provided testimony to us have been put in danger as a result. I am conscious of that and I wonder whether there are other ways that we can protect their safety.
On the travel potential, I'm very open to that. I think it's important for parliamentarians to do that work, but I would just double-check, before we undertake any work, whether or not the whips from all parties will allow that to happen. I know our whip is supportive, but I also know that we've been told from other whips that it will not be supported. I don't want the clerk to go through the work if it's not going to be possible.
1 p.m.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
I just have a comment on the witnesses appearing.
Of course, this is very traumatic information and testimony. These witnesses, though, want to be able to tell their story in public. They want to be heard. That's why they want to do this.
I appreciate the precedents in the past of people who are currently at risk, but these aren't people who are currently at risk. The families that have been invited are ones who have been able to get their children out and are now in a safe place to tell their story after the fact.
I appreciate the sensitivities around times and things like that. It is important to underline that these folks, in spite of the pain, are convinced about the importance of our hearing their stories and of the Canadian people hearing their stories so that we can act in response.
1 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Fayçal El-Khoury
Thank you, Mr. Genuis.
On behalf of all the members of the committee, I would like to thank all the witnesses for their presence, ideas, recommendations and thoughts. If you believe some other recommendations may be useful to the committee, please send them in writing.
Thank you very much.
Is it the will of the committee to adjourn the meeting?
1 p.m.
An hon. member
Yes.