Evidence of meeting #73 for Public Safety and National Security in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was meeting.
A recording is available from Parliament.
6:35 p.m.
Liberal
Jennifer O'Connell Liberal Pickering—Uxbridge, ON
If the list has been exhausted, can we please vote?
6:35 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
I'm a bit concerned. Here we have the public complaints commission that the public has been calling for. We have legislation that we have to go through. It is an important issue that was raised today and I certainly agree that it merits the committee's time, which is why the rights of crime victims are now on the table. We are trying to vote on that to establish that. We are trying to vote to get the minister to come in to speak to the issue of the rights of crime victims and also to speak to other public safety issues.
I understand now that this is a filibuster where the Conservatives are saying that it's not enough and that we need another meeting. They haven't actually made the case in a very comprehensive way.
I would suggest to my Conservative colleagues.... This is a minority Parliament, so no one party can impose its will. We have to work together. We should work together. That's certainly what Canadians expect of us. On issues like the rights of crime victims, for Public Safety to undertake that.... We are trying to have that vote so we can actually move forward with this. We are trying to allow me to move the motion, so that the Minister of Public Safety comes here. Conservatives are saying that they're not going to permit either of those votes because they want another meeting.
They can always move that motion at another time. We can always have those discussions. We can have those discussions off-line. If they make a compelling case, I'm certainly prepared to listen to it, but when a party or members say that they really believe this issue is important, yet they're not going to have any votes to have those meetings, I can see the contradiction. It's a bit hypocritical, quite frankly, Mr. Chair, to say that this is an important issue but they're going to block a consideration and a vote to actually have those issues investigated thoroughly at the public safety committee. I find that contradiction surprising.
I find that the issue itself is extremely important. The rights of crime victims are fundamental, yet I'm surprised that, rather than coming to a conclusion tonight, the Conservatives MPs on this committee are withholding the ability of this committee to make those decisions and have those issues investigated on behalf of Canadians. I can see the contradiction. I think Canadians can see the contradiction.
I would ask, Mr. Chair, that they stop the filibuster and allow the two votes. One is to have the meeting on the rights of crime victims thoroughly investigated with the commissioner of Correctional Service Canada. That's extremely important. The second is to have the Minister of Public Safety come here so that the Conservatives can ask those questions, I can ask those questions and all members of the committee can ask those questions, so that we come out of this meeting with a plan.
If they want to add to it later, I am fully willing to listen to them on their case, but I find the contradiction of not allowing the votes and not allowing us to proceed when they say that this is an important issue quite clear. I would ask, Mr. Chair, that they stop the contradiction and allow the votes to be held, so we can get going on this issue.
Thank you.
6:40 p.m.
Conservative
Doug Shipley Conservative Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON
Thank you, Chair.
I agree that we have some important legislation ahead of us. I do want to remind my colleague that Bill C-20 has twice now died on the Order Paper and has not been brought through. This is the third time we've tried to get that through. It's unfortunate that we're even discussing that again.
I would like to propose a subamendment if I could, Chair, please.
6:40 p.m.
Liberal
6:40 p.m.
Conservative
Doug Shipley Conservative Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON
Thank you.
I would like to add a couple of subsections and a couple of people who would be important to come to this meeting. Now, if we add this, it will be a very busy meeting. We might have to go late that night, too.
I would like to add to the motion that we invite the Office of the Correctional Investigator and the Office of the Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime. I'll speak to that.
Do we need to get that in writing, as we did with Ms. O'Connell's?
6:40 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon
Let's get the amendment clear, and then we'll see whether we need to write it out.
6:40 p.m.
Conservative
6:40 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon
We're going to have to close up shop right now. We've run out of time.
We're not going to be able to finish this motion today, it looks like.
6:40 p.m.
Conservative
Doug Shipley Conservative Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON
We can continue with this one next Wednesday.
6:40 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon
That's what we're probably going to have to do, unless we can vote on what we have now.
I think we have to adjourn. We will resume at this point in the debate and begin again on this matter when we resume on Wednesday.
With that understanding, we are adjourned.