Evidence of meeting #17 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was amendments.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
So you would say that your bill could really cover that right now. You're confident that with the bill as you've written it, you would get the money, you would go ahead within three years, and everything could fall into place nicely.
Conservative
Tim Uppal Conservative Edmonton—Sherwood Park, AB
If I were to write into the bill that if funds were not put together in time then we'd have to extend it, I think it would just make it wishy-washy. Pick a timeline and have the committee work on it and do it, rather than have the option of extending it.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
So we have your point of view on it. It is your bill, and I respect that. You've gone through the process and you've come up with a bill that you feel works. The people who advise you, the House of Commons people advising you, felt it would work. I think the bill as it stands looks pretty good to me. My questions are answered.
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
Yes, Mr. Chair. The government has no questions. We think this is a great bill. We thank you, Mr. Uppal, for bringing it forward, and we're hoping to proceed with it clause by clause as soon as possible so we can get it back to the House and get it passed and get this memorial done.
Very good. Thank you, Mr. Uppal.
Liberal
Alexandra Mendes Liberal Brossard—La Prairie, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I am not a member of this committee, but allow me nevertheless to ask a few questions. It is an issue that is close to the heart of all of us and that we all supported in the House.
I would like to know why a private member's bill was required in view of the fact that this initiative was announced in the Speech from the Throne.
Conservative
Tim Uppal Conservative Edmonton—Sherwood Park, AB
Timing-wise, my bill was actually presented well before the Speech from the Throne even came out, and it was tabled.
Conservative
Liberal
Conservative
Tim Uppal Conservative Edmonton—Sherwood Park, AB
It was in the order of precedence. So I had already presented it the way it was written back in September. I had no idea that it would be in the throne speech or anything else. This was just something that was brought to my attention as a good idea for a private member's bill. I looked into it; I thought it was great.
Liberal
Alexandra Mendes Liberal Brossard—La Prairie, QC
We also know that the National Capital Commission can take such an initiative, without the requirement of any legislation to do so. Furthermore, in March, in the Speech from the Throne, this was set forth as being the will of the government. This is why I want to know why we still need this bill. The Liberal party and, I believe, all other opposition parties want us to go forward with this monument. Why so much emphasis on this piece of legislation when administrative measures would have been sufficient?
Conservative
Tim Uppal Conservative Edmonton—Sherwood Park, AB
I don't know. Even previous governments hadn't put up a national Holocaust monument. I'm not sure how that would come together as a government decision, but I know various versions of this bill have been brought up before, a couple of times by Liberal members and others. I suppose the idea of bringing it up through a private member's bill has been around for a while. When it was presented to me, I thought it was a great idea.
As for its being brought up in the Speech from the Throne, I was excited about that and thought it quite an endorsement of the bill and the idea of having a national Holocaust monument. So I actually thought it was a good idea.
Liberal
Alexandra Mendes Liberal Brossard—La Prairie, QC
Don't take me wrong. I do support it fully and totally. I just find it odd that it comes.... It's almost a little too much. You have the Speech from the Throne, you have this private member's bill. And we know that the national commission can do it. They could do it on their own, without needing a piece of legislation.
Conservative
Tim Uppal Conservative Edmonton—Sherwood Park, AB
If you're asking me as a sponsor of this bill, yes, they can do it, but no, they haven't. So why not put this forward? It will be my idea. Actually, with the National Capital Commission, any organization of Canadians could go and apply to have land put forward for a national Holocaust monument, but that could take a very long time.
Liberal
Alexandra Mendes Liberal Brossard—La Prairie, QC
Coming from the government, you believe it would go quicker.
