National Defence Committee on April 11th, 2019

Evidence of meeting #136 for National Defence in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was women.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Diversity within the Canadian Armed Forces

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Paul Wynnyk Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff, Department of National Defence

Denise Preston Executive Director, Sexual Misconduct Response Centre, Department of National Defence

Charles Lamarre Commander, Military Personnel Command, Department of National Defence

Rebecca Patterson Director General, Canadian Armed Forces Strategic Response Team – Sexual Misconduct, Department of National Defence

5:05 p.m.

NDP

Randall Garrison NDP Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, BC

As for taking it out of the diversity report, I think it is intimately related to the diversity report, but I am concerned that we need to finish the diversity report and get something tabled in Parliament in a timely manner. Since the motion will still say a separate report would be written, we can address any implications from those additional meetings on diversity in that second report, so I'm going to support the amendment.

5:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Stephen Fuhr

MP Gerretsen.

5:05 p.m.

Liberal

Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON

Just as a matter of procedure, it should read, “the determination of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure”. I think that was a given, but I mention it just for clarity.

5:05 p.m.

NDP

Randall Garrison NDP Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, BC

It's more [Inaudible--Editor]

5:05 p.m.

Liberal

Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON

Yes.

I would also just add that I see it as a scheduling issue. It's up to the subcommittee to decide what the schedule should be, so if the subcommittee wants to move things around, it's at the subcommittee's discretion to do that.

5:05 p.m.

Conservative

Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON

Again, the subcommittee is predominantly held by government members, and it will just happen behind closed doors and quietly die.

This is something that is not going to go forward. It's clear—just like the justice committee—that they want to delay instead of setting a time and putting it into the schedule right now.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON

On a point of order, the bells are going off.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Stephen Fuhr

Fair enough.

It's a 30-minute bell, so we have 29 minutes and it's just up the stairs.

Do I have unanimous consent to consider staying in session for another 15 minutes?

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC

Mr. Chair, I move that the meeting be adjourned.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Stephen Fuhr

I don't have unanimous consent, so I'm going to have to adjourn the meeting.

Very quickly before we go, I would like to get this on the record. Elizabeth Kingston snuck into the room when we were debating, and I want to recognize her. She's been our clerk, as we all know, for the better part of two years, and she has just retired after 35 years of public service.

We thank you for your service.

5:10 p.m.

Some hon. members

Hear, hear!

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Stephen Fuhr

That's a nice way to end the meeting.

The meeting is adjourned.