Public Safety Committee on Nov. 25th, 2025

[Andrew Lawton, Conservative, Elgin—St. Thomas—London South, ON]

In your view, what was missing, under the current law, necessitating this? CBSA officers have always had, as I understand it, some level of authority to do these searches. Is this simply a clarification or is this adding a new power?

[Graeme Hamilton]

Section 21 of the Customs Act deals with goods that are being transported into Canada, and with warehouses that store goods that are being imported into Canada. The language is almost the same as proposed sections 97.01 and 97.02, but that language was specifically related to import. This new sections, after section 97, deal explicitly with goods, which are subject to those exact same powers, that are being exported from Canada, so it is a mirror provision of section 21 and is meant to close a gap in power that we do not presently have under the Customs Act.

[Andrew Lawton, Conservative, Elgin—St. Thomas—London South, ON]

Thank you.

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola, BC]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jean-Yves Duclos]

Go ahead, Mr. Caputo.

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola, BC]

Thank you. Mr. Lawton is so compelling, so this is very difficult. I believe that we can probably move a bit more expeditiously. I would propose that we address all of the proposed amendments, apart from parts 5, 6, 7 and 8, and that, once those are dealt with, we suspend until after Private Members' Business. I think our time is better served elsewhere.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jean-Yves Duclos]

That is an invitation to all members to follow that advice.

Go ahead, Ms. Dandurand.

[Marianne Dandurand, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

I support Mr. Caputo's suggestion. I would add that I'd like us to finish the clause-by-clause consideration of the bill this evening.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jean-Yves Duclos]

Thank you, Ms. Dandurand.

MP Caputo, can you make even more precise which clauses concern parts 5 to 8?

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola, BC]

Generally, I think that we will be in a greater position to deal with all amendments and clauses related to matters of immigration at that time. There are, roughly, 10 to 15 amendments, if memory serves, that aren't related to that. I think we could probably deal with those fairly expeditiously. There may need to be some votes on those amendments, but I think we could deal with them fairly expeditiously and, then, suspend—if there is agreement to move in that manner.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jean-Yves Duclos]

We'll suspend for a minute or two, just to make sure we have a common understanding, and we'll come back very quickly.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jean-Yves Duclos]

I call the meeting back to order. Thank you for your patience.

We're going to continue the discussion on clause 4 and amendment BQ‑1. We will have other things to do afterward, but let's first continue the discussion on amendment BQ‑1.

Mr. Caputo, you have the floor.

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'll be seeking unanimous consent for the following:

That, with respect to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-12, all clauses and amendments dealing with clauses 28-75 be stood until after Private Members' Business hour today, provided that the committee continue to deal with all other clauses of the bill in the interim, and that the clause-by-clause consideration be completed today.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

That's after PMB.

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola, BC]

Yes, it would be after PMB. That would roughly be about 7:15 p.m. That's what we anticipate.

I think that we can move fairly quickly once we have unanimous consent. I'll signal where we're at on the remainder of the amendments before clause 28.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jean-Yves Duclos]

Mr. Caputo, can you repeat that again, as slowly as you've just done, so that the translators are able to appropriately convey the message?

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon, QC]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

First, I would like to have a written version of this motion.

Second, earlier, you didn't allow motions to be moved immediately after the adoption of a clause in the bill and just before the start of the discussion on the next clause. We're now debating my amendment, and you're suddenly allowing the committee to debate a motion. This isn't the same as asking whether there's unanimous consent on what's being proposed. This is a proper motion. I may not be an expert on procedure, but I think something's wrong here.

You said earlier that we were going to deal with amendment BQ‑1 and that we'd move on to other things afterward. I understood that those other things could include the possibility of putting forward a motion or asking whether there's unanimous consent on how to proceed. I don't want to call you to order, but I'd like us to deal with my amendment first. We can then move on.

Now, I'm telling you, I'm starting to get a bit irritated by the fact that there's a double standard when it comes to applying the rules of procedure. There's never any consistency.

The debate is currently about an amendment to a clause of the bill, and a member has been filibustering since this morning. I'd like to know whether the debate will continue and whether we're going to vote on the amendment. I think it's your job to clarify that before the committee starts debating Mr. Caputo's motion.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jean-Yves Duclos]

Absolutely.

I would like Mr. Caputo to repeat what he is proposing, because I myself didn't fully understand everything that was said.

Once everyone has understood, we can rule on the issues that you just—

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon, QC]

Mr. Chair, I don't want to press you on this, but there are a lot of employees here from the whip's office and the Conservative leader's team in the House. I don't accept, then, that I don't have a copy of the motion in front of me. That isn't normal.

This is a clause-by-clause consideration of a bill, so I think we have to be thorough. If this is a motion to make our work easier, the staff of the party proposing it need only arrange to provide a copy to committee members and the interpreters, if possible.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jean-Yves Duclos]

If I may, we'll proceed in order.

First, Mr. Caputo, you will respectfully repeat what you said.

That's so that we all understand the content of your motion. Then we'll establish the steps after.

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola, BC]

Thank you.

I'm seeking unanimous consent. Then, at that time, I believe that we, as Conservatives, will be in a position to support BQ-1. So, before that, I would seek this motion, and then we can move on to voting or any further debate. I don't think you'll hear any further debate from us as Conservatives.

The motion is as follows:

That, with respect to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-12, all clauses and amendments dealing with clauses 28-75 be stood until after Private Members' Business hour today, provided that the committee continue to deal with all other clauses of the bill in the interim, and that the clause-by-clause consideration be completed today.

The purpose of this is to move on to Madam DeBellefeuille's amendment after unanimous consent is achieved on this.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jean-Yves Duclos]

That's very good.

I think it's better understood now. Granting unanimous consent involves every MP around this table being comfortable with this. I propose that, while we continue speaking to the amendment, BQ-1, a printed copy of that motion be distributed. Then we'll see whether there is unanimous consent, because unanimous consent would be needed.

If that is fine—if someone can ensure that this is both printed and translated—then I think we will be able to follow your kind advice.

Having said that, let me return to the discussion on the amendment.

[Jacques Ramsay, Liberal, La Prairie—Atateken, QC]

I have a point of order, Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jean-Yves Duclos]

Mr. Ramsay, the floor is yours.

[Jacques Ramsay, Liberal, La Prairie—Atateken, QC]

Considering the likelihood that this motion will be adopted, can we proceed and vote on a clause and not waste any further time? Not that Mr. Lawton wasn't interesting, but....