Public Safety Committee on April 24th, 2018

Evidence of meeting #107 for Public Safety and National Security in the 42nd Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was debate.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Sven Spengemann

Pierre Paul-Hus

Also speaking

Scott Millar Director General, Strategic Policy, Planning and Partnerships, Communications Security Establishment

Cherie Henderson Director General, Policy and Foreign Relations, Canadian Security Intelligence Service

Charles Arnott Manager, Strategic Policy, Communications Security Establishment

Philippe Méla Legislative Clerk

John Davies Director General, National Security Policy, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Douglas Breithaupt Director and General Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Department of Justice

Merydee Duthie Special Advisor, Canadian Security Intelligence Service

Liberal

Michel Picard Liberal Montarville, QC

Thank you. It's to align this with CSIS's fiscal year and with amendment LIB-44, which is coming.

The subamendment would be removing, in the first line of the amendment, the part that reads “not later than September 30 in each fiscal year” and replacing it with “within three months after the end of each calendar year”. This is consistent with the rest, and it's clear and coherent.

Again, it would be removing “not later than September 30 in each fiscal year”—the part between the commas—and replacing that part with “within three months after the end of each calendar year”.

As spoken

Liberal

The Chair Liberal John McKay

Do colleagues understand the amendment?

As spoken

Conservative

Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC

I would like you to clarify something. We are talking about September 30, but the amendment says “within three months after the end of each calendar year”. So that is before March 31.

Translated

Liberal

Michel Picard Liberal Montarville, QC

It's the calendar year, the civil year.

So it is December 31.

Partially translated

Conservative

Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC

It is the end of the year, December 31. Is that right?

Translated

Liberal

Michel Picard Liberal Montarville, QC

Yes, and that is consistent with various other provisions, including the subsequent amendment.

Translated

Liberal

The Chair Liberal John McKay

Okay. The amendment is understood, and it is in order.

Is there any further debate?

As spoken

Liberal

Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON

Just very briefly, this amendment requires CSIS to produce an annual report, and this particular amendment, LIB-42, will require that it be provided to the minister and put before Parliament.

Amendment LIB-44 concerns a public annual report, but amendment LIB-42 is requiring reporting to Parliament. It was something that we heard in testimony, in particular from Micheal Vonn, about the need for CSIS to provide a report.

As spoken

Liberal

Michel Picard Liberal Montarville, QC

Could I anticipate my colleague's question and ask the experts what the technical points are concerning this?

As spoken

Director General, National Security Policy, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Just to be sure we have understood, in fixing the front part, I think you need to fix the back part of the phrase too, because it also says “preceding fiscal year”. You'd probably want to amend, as you go down, “preceding calendar year” so that you're not comparing apples and oranges.

As spoken

Liberal

Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON

Yes.

As spoken

Liberal

Michel Picard Liberal Montarville, QC

You're right.

As spoken

Liberal

The Chair Liberal John McKay

Okay, that's an amendment to the amendment to the amendment.

As spoken

Liberal

Michel Picard Liberal Montarville, QC

That was bad English on my part.

As spoken

Liberal

The Chair Liberal John McKay

I'll work on the assumption that you are moving this, Mr. Picard, as your amendment to your amendment.

As spoken

Liberal

Michel Picard Liberal Montarville, QC

Yes.

As spoken

Liberal

The Chair Liberal John McKay

Is there anything else? Is there any other debate?

As spoken

Conservative

Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC

Could we reread the last amended version?

In the end, it's hard to know which version it is.

Translated

Liberal

The Chair Liberal John McKay

Certainly. Let me have the clerk read it so that everybody understands what we're going to be voting on.

As spoken

Philippe Méla Legislative Clerk

Do you want me to read the new amendment twice amended?

As spoken

April 24th, 2018 / 12:45 p.m.

Conservative

Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB

Yes, the one we're voting on.

As spoken

Philippe Méla Legislative Clerk

Okay.

In English, proposed subparagraph 20.2(1) reads:

The Service shall, within three months after the end of each calendar year, submit to the Minister a report of the activities of the Service during the preceding calendar year, and the Minister shall cause the report to be laid before each House of Parliament on any of the first 15 days on which that House is sitting after the Minister receives it.

As spoken

Liberal

The Chair Liberal John McKay

Is that clear, Monsieur Picard?

As spoken

Liberal

Michel Picard Liberal Montarville, QC

I wonder whether he could read it once again for the benefit of our experts. We want to change “calendar” to “fiscal” to be in line with everything. Was that your comment?

As spoken

Liberal

The Chair Liberal John McKay

No, it's the other way around.

As spoken