Public Safety Committee on April 24th, 2018

[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”.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Do colleagues understand the amendment?

[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.

[Michel Picard, Liberal, Montarville, QC]

It's the calendar year, the civil year.

So it is December 31.

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

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

[Michel Picard, Liberal, Montarville, QC]

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

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

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

Is there any further debate?

[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.

[Michel Picard, Liberal, Montarville, QC]

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

[John Davies]

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.

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

Yes.

[Michel Picard, Liberal, Montarville, QC]

You're right.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

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

[Michel Picard, Liberal, Montarville, QC]

That was bad English on my part.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

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

[Michel Picard, Liberal, Montarville, QC]

Yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Is there anything else? Is there any other debate?

[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.

[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.

[Philippe Méla, Legislative Clerk]

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

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Red Deer—Lacombe, AB]

Yes, the one we're voting on.

[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.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Is that clear, Monsieur Picard?

[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?

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

No, it's the other way around.