Tonight's debate is a general one on all votes under the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development. The first round will begin with the official opposition, followed by the government, the Bloc Québécois and the New Democratic Party. After that, we will follow the usual proportional rotation.
Pursuant to order made on Tuesday, May 25, within each 15-minute period, each party may allocate time to one or more of its members for speeches or for questions and answers.
In the case of speeches, members of the party to which the period is allocated may speak one after the other, but the time allocated for speeches must not exceed 10 minutes. The Chair requests that each member who speaks indicate how that time will be used.
The order also specifies that when the time is used for questions and answers, the length of the minister's response should approximately reflect the time taken by the question. In addition, the Chair will receive no quorum calls, dilatory motions or requests for unanimous consent.
Pursuant to an order made on Friday, May 28, the time provided for the debate tonight may extend beyond the usual four hours as needed to assure there will be a minimum of 16 periods of 15-minutes each.
I also wish to indicate that in committee of the whole, comments should be addressed to the Chair. I ask for everyone's co-operation in upholding all the established standards of decorum, parliamentary language and behaviour.
Before we get going, I have one further comment. Since the ministers will be joining the debate this evening online, it may be a bit awkward for the chair occupants to assure, when they interrupt, that they guard the amount of time being used. We do not have the usual connection we have in debate in the House. As chair occupants, we will do our best this evening to try to assure that the time taken by the minister in response to a member's question will be similar and equitable to the time the member took to pose the question. We appreciate the patience of hon. members in ensuring this back and forth goes as smoothly as possible, as we have all been doing in this hybrid Parliament.
We will now begin tonight's session.
The House in committee of the whole, pursuant to Standing Order 81(4), consideration in committee of the whole of all votes under Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development in the main estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022.
The hon. member for Wellington—Halton Hills.