Subcommittee on International Human Rights Committee on Oct. 20th, 2025

[The Clerk of the Committee, Aimée Belmore]

Honourable members of the subcommittee, I see a quorum.

Pursuant to Standing Order 106(3)(a), as the clerk of the subcommittee, I will preside over the election of the chair and the vice-chairs.

I must inform members that the clerk of the subcommittee can receive motions only for the election of the chair. The clerk cannot receive other types of motions, entertain points of debate or participate in debate.

We can now proceed to the election of the chair.

Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the chair must be a member of the government party.

I am ready to receive motions for the chair.

Mr. Zuberi.

[Sameer Zuberi, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

I'd like to present a motion to have our colleague, MP El-Khoury, as chair of this subcommittee.

[The Clerk]

Thank you.

Are there any further motions?

I will now put the motion to the subcommittee. It has been moved by Mr. Zuberi that Mr. El-Khoury be elected chair of the subcommittee. Is it the pleasure of the subcommittee to adopt the motion?

(Motion agreed to)

Thank you.

I declare the motion carried and Mr. El-Khoury duly elected chair of the subcommittee.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[The Clerk]

I invite Mr. El-Khoury to come and take the chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Fayçal El-Khoury]

Good afternoon, everyone.

It's a great pleasure being with you.

Thank you for the confidence you have given me. I will do my best. Most of you know me very well. I will be fair. I will be honest. I am expecting every one of you to behave and act the same, as I'm sure we're all at the same level in this house.

Thank you.

If the subcommittee is in agreement, I invite the clerk to proceed with the election of the vice‑chairs.

Is there a motion?

Mr. Brunelle‑Duceppe, you have the floor.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would like to congratulate you on your election. I'm delighted that you'll be chairing this extremely important subcommittee.

I would like to nominate Shuvaloy Majumdar for the position of first vice‑chair of the Subcommittee on International Human Rights.

[The Chair, Liberal, Fayçal El-Khoury]

Are there any further motions?

Is there any objection to the motion presented by Mr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe to elect Mr. Shuvaloy Majumdar as vice-chair?

(Motion agreed to)

I declare the motion carried. Congratulations, Mr. Majumdar.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[The Chair, Liberal, Fayçal El-Khoury]

I'll let the clerk proceed with the election of the vice‑chair.

[The Clerk]

Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the second vice‑chair must be a member of an opposition party other than the official opposition.

I'm now prepared to receive motions for the second vice‑chair.

[Shuv Majumdar, Conservative, Calgary Heritage, AB]

This subcommittee has been extremely well served by Mr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe. I nominate him as the second vice-chair.

[The Clerk]

It has been moved by Mr. Majumdar that Mr. Brunelle‑Duceppe be elected second vice‑chair of the committee.

Are there any further motions?

(Motion agreed to)

[The Clerk]

I declare the motion carried and Mr. Brunelle‑Duceppe duly elected second vice‑chair of the subcommittee.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[The Chair, Liberal, Fayçal El-Khoury]

Can I have your attention please?

I have the following routine motion:

That the subcommittee retain, as needed and at the discretion of the Chair, the services of one or more analysts from the Library of Parliament to assist in its work.

Is it the desire of the committee to adopt the motion?

Mr. Zuberi.

[Sameer Zuberi, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Are we in open session now?

[The Chair, Liberal, Fayçal El-Khoury]

Yes.

[Sameer Zuberi, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

We're supposed to be in open session. I was just curious.

[The Chair, Liberal, Fayçal El-Khoury]

I can't hear you properly.

[Sameer Zuberi, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

I apologize. I'm a low talker, so that's why you can't hear me properly, but you answered my question.

[The Chair, Liberal, Fayçal El-Khoury]

Will any of you be moving the routine motions?

[Sameer Zuberi, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

No.

Could you read this motion again?

[The Chair, Liberal, Fayçal El-Khoury]

I can read the motions myself, or someone else can move them.

Go ahead, Mr. Majumdar.

[Shuv Majumdar, Conservative, Calgary Heritage, AB]

I would like to move a motion. That's what you're looking for, I understand.

That the Chair be authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence and to have that evidence published when a quorum is not present, provided that at least four members are present, including two members of the opposition parties and two members of the government party.

(Motion agreed to)