Evidence of meeting #50 for National Defence in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was c-41.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:20 p.m.
Bloc
Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
So then, by tabling this motion, we are merely extending an invitation to the minister.
5:20 p.m.
Procedural Clerk
The committee is in fact asking, not ordering, him to appear.
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
5:20 p.m.
NDP
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
Bryon Wilfert Liberal Richmond Hill, ON
It has been the practice or convention that the minister has come. I'm sure Laurie will do his best to make sure we get....
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
I do think it's fair to point out that the Minister of National Defence has been to this committee probably more than any other minister has been to any other committee, and he will make the appropriate effort to be here.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
Bryon Wilfert Liberal Richmond Hill, ON
That's why I'm sure he'll be delighted to deal with the supplementaries.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
Really, it's just a matter of going back to the minister per the motion that I believe has already been passed.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Maxime Bernier
The motion has been passed already.
We'll go with Mr. Harris. You also have a motion in front of us?
5:25 p.m.
NDP
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
Yes, I have a motion that's pursuant to the statement the deputy minister made before the committee, that the department would cooperate in making information available to the committee. This is a list of a number of papers and reports that we understand are available. Many of them, if not most, were actually part of the bibliography of the NRC report that we had before our committee. I think most, if not all, of them are already available in both official languages. Those that need to be made available I guess will have to be translated.
A number of these documents are referred to in various reports and they have information that could be useful to the committee. My concern is that we won't be able to use them unless they're actually tabled before the committee, and we can't distribute them unless they're in both official languages. If they have copies in both official languages right now, well then table them with the clerk and have them distributed. If some of them need to be translated, then so be it. I think that's the nature of the beast. Is it not, Mr. Bachand?
5:25 p.m.
NDP
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
I'm sure most of them are available already. We were told by one of the witnesses that they're all available in both official languages and can be made available. Which ones aren't, I don't know. Maybe Mr. Hawn could help us with that.
I would move that we request that these documents from the deputy minister or the Department of National Defence be made available to the committee.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
I have a couple of comments on that. In general, we have no problem with that. I haven't gone searching, but some of these documents may be available online. I don't know.
5:25 p.m.
NDP
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
Yes, one way or the other....
I don't know specifically which ones are translated right now. I do know the department has looked at some of these documents. For example, if the national search and rescue manual needs translation, their estimate is that it takes about 58 working days. It's a big document. It may already be in both languages; I don't know.