Status of Women Committee on April 23rd, 2009

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Yes, okay--or are you amending the original motion?

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Sorry, I'm used to Robert's Rules, so perhaps we could have a clarification on amending.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Are you suggesting—let me just clarify—that you are adding your amendment after the term “Status of Women”, and you are deleting “call upon the government”?

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Okay. As far as I'm concerned, I will have to vote on the amended motion first, because yours changes the intent of the motion entirely. It does because the intent of the motion, as I understand it, is that it is asking the government to take a step. You are saying we support the step the government has already taken, which is a valid thing for you to say, but you are removing the principle of Ms. Demers' motion. So if Ms. Demers agrees to your amendment, this is okay, but if she doesn't, we will vote on the original amended motion. If it fails, you can bring about your motion as amended.

Ms. Demers, do you agree? This amendment is being brought forward. How do you feel about it? Do you agree with it?

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

This changes completely the meaning of the motion, Madam Chair. It is difficult to say that we support the government in its efforts when we do not know what it has been doing. We are asking the government to act. It is very different.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Okay, thank you.

As Ms. Demers points out, this changes the whole intent of her motion, so she doesn't accept it. So we have to take it out, and we will now vote on the motion as amended. If you wish to bring forward this other motion, we will deal with that one. All right?

The amended motion we're voting on is that the Standing Committee on the Status of Women call upon the government to say that it will take measures if President Karzai refuses to repeal the legislation violating the rights of women in Afghanistan. I now call the vote on the amended motion.

All right, we have a tie. That's what happened on the very first day of this committee.

I will vote for the motion for the reason that I believe that the motion is clear, in that it is asking the government to take a particular step. Therefore, I will vote for the motion because it fits in with the intent of the motion, asking the government to take a particular step.

(Motion agreed to)

Now to Ms. McLeod. And given that we are speaking to the issue of Afghanistan, you do not have to give us 48 hours notice. We're speaking to this.

Did you wish to bring forward now a motion that says what you were proposing--that the Standing Committee on the Status of Women support the government in its efforts to continue to press the Afghanistan government to meet the promises of President Karzai?

That is an appropriate motion for you to bring up at this time.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to bring that motion forward.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Okay. We now have a motion on the table that the Standing Committee on the Status of Women support the government in its efforts to continue to press the Afghan government to meet its promises with regard to the legislation violating the rights of women in Afghanistan. We are debating this motion.

Would you like to speak to the motion, Ms. McLeod?

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Again, as I stated when I proposed the amendment, there was not a person in the House that was not appalled by this, knowing our soldiers are over there struggling for the rights of women. It was very distressful for everyone and for Canadians. I think the government has taken this issue very seriously and has stepped up to the table in a very active way. I think we, as a committee, need to acknowledge and support that we recognize and appreciate the best efforts being made by government.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Before we continue with the debate, since people are going to get food and nobody is really listening very clearly to each other, I would like to allow for a suspension so that people can go get their food and come back.

I think, Ms. McLeod, maybe everyone didn't hear what you had to say. I'm going to give you a chance to do your thing again, with a shortened version of it if you wish, when everyone gets their food.

Everyone, go get your food and come back.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Ms. McLeod, I would like you to give us a quick synopsis of what you discussed before.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

If I could have the motion reread, my colleague has a friendly amendment I'd be willing to accept.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Actually, there is a clarification before we read it. Did Mr. Karzai make a commitment to repeal the legislation, or was it to review the legislation?

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

To review.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Okay, thank you. I thought that was what he said.

The motion is that the standing committee support the government in its efforts to continue to press the Afghan government to meet its commitment to review the legislation violating the rights of women in Afghanistan.

That the Standing Committee on the Status of Women support the government in its efforts to continue to press the Afghan government to meet its commitment to review the legislation violating the rights of women in Afghanistan.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Madam Chair, the friendly amendment my colleague....

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

May I give it now?

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Yes, go ahead.

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

If the mover will accept it, on the last part, where it says “to review the legislation...”, we would add “in order to uphold their international human rights commitments”. I think that finishes it off.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Okay, so there's a friendly amendment that says “to review the legislation violating the human rights”.

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

No, “in order to uphold”--

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Yes, “to review the legislation violating the rights of women in Afghanistan in order to uphold”--

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

--“their international human rights commitments”.