National Defence Committee on June 13th, 2017

[The Chair, Liberal, Stephen Fuhr]

She's just qualifying the statement.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

I am not changing the intent.

[The Chair, Liberal, Stephen Fuhr]

She's not changing it.

You're qualifying it. I understand.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

It's her right to do that.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

That's right.

[The Chair, Liberal, Stephen Fuhr]

All right, that's on the table.

Is there more discussion?

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

I like it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Stephen Fuhr]

I'm going to call a vote then, if there's no discussion.

[Leona Alleslev, Liberal, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

I'm sorry, I don't understand it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Stephen Fuhr]

She's basically—

[Leona Alleslev, Liberal, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

So if the ombudsman says he wants it public, then there's no meeting. If he wants it public—

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

That's right.

[Leona Alleslev, Liberal, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

—then he's the deciding factor in whether or not to hold a public meeting.

[The Chair, Liberal, Stephen Fuhr]

I think the intent is that if we call the ombudsman here, just knowing the guy, he's going to come here. We can call him here because we're the committee. What you're trying to suggest, I think, if I get this right, is that he'll decide whether he wants this in camera or not.

If he says he wants it to be public—

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

That's right.

[The Chair, Liberal, Stephen Fuhr]

—then we would still have the meeting. He would get the invitation. We would leave the in camera piece at the discretion of the ombudsman, if I have that correct.

Okay, that's what we're voting on.

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

I agree with you.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

If I understand correctly, Mr. Chair, based on the advice you received from the clerk, what Ms. Gallant is adding is a qualifier at the end as to whether or not it's in camera.

[The Chair, Liberal, Stephen Fuhr]

The problem, as Leona pointed out, is that qualifier is actually whether or not the meeting would take place.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

That's not what—

[The Chair, Liberal, Stephen Fuhr]

I think we all know what the intent is, but we seem to be voting on something we already voted on.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Right. I'm going to—

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

I'm going to give you the wording.

[The Chair, Liberal, Stephen Fuhr]

Sure, give me the words.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

To add, after the word “report”, “in camera or in public at the discretion of the ombudsman”.