Evidence of meeting #33 for National Defence in the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was caf.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Bryan May Liberal Cambridge, ON
If we left right away, on the Saturday after we rise, we could theoretically be back for the 11th.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
Is there any other commentary? We know when we have to have witnesses in, folks. You know what we're going to do on the 18th.
My proposal is to leave this as an evergreen study. I don't think we're anywhere close to having recommendations on aid to civil authority.
I should share with you that I've had a conversation with Minister Blair. He is recovering from a knee operation. He would be delighted to appear and indicates that the government is doing a lot of forward thinking about this issue. I know he would like to come and talk about that thinking.
Go ahead, Mrs. Gallant.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Are you referring to the aid to civil authority study being an open one? We would like to see a report, so we can get a response from the government.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
Nothing other than the army being used too much. That's our chief conclusion, right now.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Are you still looking for more witnesses, Mr. Chair?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
I'm open to more witnesses. If you think we've arrived at the end of our study, we should indicate that. If we have, I don't know what it is.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
A small report with nothing to say is kind of a useless report.
Let's close it off, because I'm going to get the end sign from folks.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
We have recommendations we want to put in. What other sorts of things do you want to have in the report, so we can get an idea of the types of witnesses we should be asking to flesh it out more?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
We started to go down that road with Eva Cohen. There are alternate models to think about. Right now, we have two alternate models, if you will: the Red Cross model, for want of a better term, and a more organized, coherent and society-wide approach to volunteerism. Both of these would mitigate the excessive use of the military.
I think those need to be chased down a bit more, at least with Minister Blair and possibly others. My thought is to leave this study open. There's no compelling reason why we need to get to the report right now. Who knows what's around the corner? What next disaster around the corner will strain our abilities and so on? Hence, I am thinking of leaving things open.
It's not as if we don't have places to go. The Arctic study will start as soon as we get back.
Is there anything else?
The meeting is adjourned.
