Public Safety Committee on May 26th, 2010

[The Acting Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

That will end the questioning period.

It's a great privilege, on behalf of the chair, to thank you all for being here today and bringing us your expertise on this vital issue. Again, thanks, and thanks for coming to Ottawa.

We were told that the Liberal Party needed five minutes at the end of the meeting to deal with a motion that was going to be presented by Mr. Holland. That's the way the chair left it with me.

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

That's correct, and since Mr. Holland isn't here, I am more than happy to make the motion that the reports by the RCMP be brought forward to our committee.

[The Acting Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

Okay. Can you specify what reports we're looking at requesting from the RCMP?

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

I unfortunately don't have the exact names of those reports, but I think they are referred to in the transcript.

[The Acting Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

I've checked with the clerk on the applicability of this motion, just so the government side understands.

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

They are internal audits by the RCMP of the gun registry.

[The Acting Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

In consultation with the clerk, because it's germane to what the committee is currently dealing with, it is appropriate to put the motion on the floor. I just want to make that very clear to everyone.

Are there any comments, questions, discussion, or debate on the motion?

Mr. Norlock.

[Rick Norlock, Conservative, Northumberland—Quinte West, ON]

I have some comments, because we are dealing with something when we don't exactly know what it is. If I remember some of the questioning of Mr. Sweeney from the RCMP, there was some suggestion that it was a position paper being taken by the RCMP in consultation with others--it may have been Chief Blair--on Bill C-391.

Mr. Holland is very familiar with the contents of that position paper, yet not every member present here has been afforded an opportunity to look at it. One would think that Canada's official opposition--and I'm not sure about this, I'm just trying to logically piece things together--the RCMP, and allegedly Chief Blair.... I'm not sure whether that's factual or not, but based on statements I recall having been made, and not having access to exact quotations--although I could probably bring one up here very shortly--this piece of paper has been referred to as an RCMP position, in consultation with others. It's an internal report, and I think I have an excerpt for the committee, just so we know where we're going.

Deputy Commissioner Sweeney said:

Thank you for the opportunity to clarify what I said. I said cabinet committee, but I misspoke; I meant parliamentary committee. I do apologize for that. We have been working with Chief Bill Blair and others. Chief Superintendent Marty Cheliak has been assisting in developing positions with respect to Bill C-391....

[The Acting Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

I don't want to interrupt, but you have about 30 seconds before I drop the gavel and the bells start ringing.

[Rick Norlock, Conservative, Northumberland—Quinte West, ON]

I don't believe at this time, quite frankly, that this committee should be hearing about an internal RCMP position, in consultation with others, that the official opposition has, that has not been made public. It's not a public document, and I would have to say--

[An hon. member]

Mr. Chairman--

[The Acting Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

Mr. Norlock is speaking. The bells are ringing. I'm watching the time. There are about 10 seconds. Continue for 10 seconds.

[Rick Norlock, Conservative, Northumberland—Quinte West, ON]

I'm simply trying to say that if this is in the public realm, we need to know about it.

[The Acting Chair, Conservative, Phil McColeman]

The meeting is adjourned.