Evidence of meeting #29 for Public Safety and National Security in the 40th Parliament, 3rd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Andrew Kania Liberal Brampton West, ON
No, nobody wants to speak, Mr. Chair, just the Conservatives.
Conservative
Phil McColeman Conservative Brant, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. MacKenzie has covered off a lot of the notes I made in listening across the table.
I want to underscore a couple of things, but I also want to add this. These are the quotes from Rick Bartolucci, Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services for the Province of Ontario. He said:
When you consider what has happened in the past in other jurisdictions, I think there's something to be said for the level, the competency and the expertise of the policing in the province of Ontario.
That was in the Toronto Sun.
He also said:
These officers showed remarkable professionalism in what were often very trying circumstances.
There were a couple of other quotes that Mr. MacKenzie used, but the one thing that is so striking and so interesting here at committee--and I concur, and I just want to say this.... We sit on this committee, and this committee has dealt with some of the most contentious issues before Parliament. Today we're hearing people speak who have come to committee... It just so happens that the person moving the motion wasn't able to get here, so we've heard the MP sitting in for him. But what's most interesting to hear is Ms. Mourani's comments, that democracy works in this country. I think it's such a departure from the political orientation of those she represents, and I want to thank her for making that comment here today at the committee. There are a lot of issues that we do discuss here that have a very strong importance for Canadians, and this is one of them.
I want to--
Liberal
Mark Holland Liberal Ajax—Pickering, ON
I ask for unanimous consent that we move to a vote. You can always ask for unanimous consent to move to a vote if there's... There's no unanimous consent to move to a vote?
Conservative
Phil McColeman Conservative Brant, ON
May I continue?
I really just want to conclude with one quote, again from the Toronto Sun, made on July 8 by OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino, who said “We gave our heart and soul to make sure that that went well.”
I think we need to congratulate a lot of people in how it went well. I think my colleague from Markham stated it so clearly and so articulately...that we have a world-class community in Toronto. Many of us benefit from that community. I myself, to the west of Toronto, benefit tremendously from what happens in the greater Toronto area. We see it as a world-class city. We treat it as our destination for ourselves to celebrate what Canada can show on a world-class level.
The G-20 meetings did that. The G-20 meetings said to the rest of world that we are open for business here on a world-class level, and that's a message the world needed to hear. We did it, and we did it in fine fashion. We kept the most important leaders around the world safe and secure as they dealt with the bigger issues on a global basis, the global economy. We should be proud as Canadians here today and not be hijacked by the political motives of political parties who would take advantage and bring us back to Ottawa at taxpayers' expense to take advantage of this and try to carry it on.
When the studies are here and we have the facts, we can deal with this as a committee. We can deal with it in the fall when we come back. We don't need to see this place again and cost Canadians more money. There are studies being done. The Auditor General is going to do a full review. End of story.
This, as Canadians, is something we should be proud of, in terms of how we hosted the G-8 and the G-20.
Conservative
Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON
Thanks, Chair.
I was encouraged to hear, Mr. Chair--
Conservative
Liberal
Mark Holland Liberal Ajax—Pickering, ON
Mr. Chair, given the fact that the meeting is about to end, I seek unanimous consent to extend the meeting so that we can at least get an opportunity to get to a vote.
We're all here, guys.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
Is there unanimous consent to...? I don't see unanimous consent.
We have about one minute left. I would encourage members... There is a consensus on some issues and there's not a consensus on other issues. I would encourage the members from both sides to get together and see where we can go on this. Some people have mentioned that we could pursue this in the fall. Some have suggested various other things.
We're obviously not going to be resolving this today, and I would encourage people from both sides of the table here to get together.
I was hoping that maybe we'd get a little further than this, but at this point we didn't, so I'm going to have to adjourn the meeting. I encourage people from both sides to get together and decide where we go from here. In some respects there is agreement that we look at this once all the facts are in, but at this point it doesn't seem we're going to resolve that today.
This meeting stands adjourned.