National Defence Committee on April 29th, 2009

Evidence of meeting #15 for National Defence in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was north.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Arctic Sovereignty

Committee Business

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Colonel Retired) Pierre Leblanc (Canadian Forces Northern Area, As an Individual

Suzanne Lalonde Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Montreal

D. McFadden Commander, Canada Command, Department of National Defence

Alan H. Kessel Legal Adviser, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

Paul Gibbard Director, Aboriginal and Circumpolar Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

5:40 p.m.

Conservative

Steven Blaney Conservative Lévis—Bellechasse, QC

It would be interesting to meet with parliamentarians from Pakistan. There are two sides to politics: formal and informal. I do not know what their agenda is, but perhaps the committee could share a meal with them or hold a more informal event, which would give us an opportunity to socialize.

5:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Maxime Bernier

Okay.

5:45 p.m.

Conservative

Steven Blaney Conservative Lévis—Bellechasse, QC

We could perhaps take the money that we need from the money that we have saved, Mr. Chair. We have a large budget since we did not visit the north.

5:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Maxime Bernier

Mr. Harris.

5:45 p.m.

NDP

Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL

I wonder how your Urdu is, Mr. Blaney.

I think we should obviously meet with them. Perhaps the clerk might want to brief them on the issue of the financing of the committee and how that works. That might be helpful. But I think the committee has a lot of interesting things they would like to discuss with them, considering our situation in Afghanistan. I'd be very happy to meet with them.

5:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Maxime Bernier

If I understand correctly, we have a consensus on meeting with these people. I suggest that we have a committee meeting on May 12 to meet with the Pakistani delegation and that we have the clerk make the arrangements for the meeting.

Who's going to support it? Mr. Wilfert, do you support it?

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

Bryon Wilfert Liberal Richmond Hill, ON

I support it.

5:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Maxime Bernier

Thank you.

Thank you very much. Have a nice day.

See you another time.

Meeting adjourned.