National Defence Committee on Oct. 6th, 2022

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

Release the witnesses.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

I thought they were released, but I got interrupted by a point of order.

Unless you really want to sit in on this—I'm assuming you don't—I'll ask you to remove yourselves.

[LCol (Ret'd) David Redman]

Thank you for having us.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Thank you.

Now you've changed my train of thought here. We met. We had a subcommittee report. The report has been circulated. May I have someone to move the report?

I have Mr. May, seconded by Madam Normandin.

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

Did you put a motion forth to...?

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

The subcommittee report is on the table for debate.

Is there debate?

Madam Gallant.

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

Mr. Chairman, I looked through the report, and I did not see any reference to my reading the motion into the record and having actually formally put forth the motion with respect to the affordability aspect on soldiers. We have a cost-of-living crisis that's affecting the Canadian Armed Forces, and we had a motion to have a study that, but it wasn't mentioned at all in the third report. We didn't agree to do it yet, but it wasn't even mentioned in there.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Well, it's still an outstanding motion.

Mr. May.

[Bryan May, Liberal, Cambridge, ON]

Yes, thank you.

I think you're right. I don't think it was...but it was not discussed during the subcommittee report.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Are there any other comments?

(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

Thank you very much.

Next is witnesses for October 18.

Glen.

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

I'm sorry. It's not related to committee business, but it's regarding your staff.

Do you guys know the talent of Mr. Shawn over there? I was at an event the other night, and his playing of the cello was absolutely incredible. If we ever have a Christmas event, that guy needs to play. He is amazing.

I just want to acknowledge that at this committee.

[An hon. member]

I'll second that as well.

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

He actually writes his own stuff. He has a real life outside of working for me. You can imagine that he has to have a real life. He truly is an amazing guy.

Okay. Thank you for that acknowledgement of Shawn's considerable talent.

For the Arctic study that we just agreed to, we need witnesses. October 18, I think, is the date. We've received witnesses from the NDP and the Bloc, I believe. I need witnesses from the Liberals and the Conservatives.

What's that?

[Lindsay Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Do we need to give all of them?

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Right now you do. The 18th is the deadline.

[A voice]

No, the study starts on the 18th.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

I'm sorry. You're right. The deadline is October 5.

Having said that, for the purposes of the main committee, we've been authorized for travel for Washington and Colorado. The anticipated time for travel will be the November break week. I appreciate that's going to cause some difficulties for some. If you could alert the clerk to difficulties ahead of time, we can make adjustments accordingly.

We are also open to suggestions you may have as to what we should be doing in Washington and Colorado, people you think we should see. Take note that there will be no senators and no congresspeople when we're there. That's silly season U.S.A.

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

Mr. Chair, I'm curious to know what the numbers are. Is it going to be the whole of committee? Is it going to be six people total?

[The Clerk of the Committee, Mr. Andrew Wilson]

It will be seven members, plus staff.

[Lindsay Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

During the subcommittee, we talked about—it was recommended, I think, by me—potentially going right after the House rises in December in order to give us more time to plan.

Remembrance Day week is a big week in our ridings. This makes it more difficult, so I'm hoping that's still on the table. It also makes it cheaper, potentially, in terms of budget and what we can do, because we'd have more time to plan for hotels and so on.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

It creates other conflicts, though.

[The Clerk]

In response to Ms. Mathyssen's point, it's up to the committee to determine when you'd like to go. The only thing specified in the House authorization motion was that it be during an adjournment period.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Go ahead, Bryan.

[Bryan May, Liberal, Cambridge, ON]

I was going to respond to that, as well.

It creates other conflicts, but I think we talked about that in the subcommittee. As long as we can schedule it on the November break week at the very beginning and be back for our November 11 commitments.... Do we know how long this trip will take, roughly?