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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 16

Thursday, February 6, 2003

The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade met in a televised session at 9:10 a.m. this day, in Room 237-C, Centre Block, the Chair, Bernard Patry, presiding.

Members of the Committee present:  Murray Calder, Aileen Carroll, Bill Casey, Irwin Cotler, John Duncan, The Hon. Art Eggleton, John Harvard, André Harvey, Francine Lalonde, The Hon. Diane Marleau, Keith Martin, Alexa McDonough, Deepak Obhrai, Bernard Patry, Karen Redman.

Acting Members present:  Karen Kraft-Sloan for Mark Eyking, Yves Rocheleau for Stéphane Bergeron and Rahim Jaffer for Stockwell Day.

In attendance: From the Library of Parliament: James Lee; Gerald Schmitz, Research Officers.

Appearing: From the House of Commons: The Hon. Bill Graham, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Witnesses: From the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade: John McNee, Assistant Deputy Minister, Africa and Middle East; James R. Wright, Assistant Deputy Minister, Global and Security Policy.

By unanimous consent, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee resumed consideration of the situation in Iraq.

The Minister made a statement and answered questions.

At 10:02 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 10:09 a.m., the sitting resumed.

Pursuant to Standing Order 106(3), the Committee proceeded to the consideration of a letter dated December 11, 2002, signed by Four Members requesting that a meeting be held on the question of Iraq.

Bill Casey moved,  - That, Pursuant to the Committee order of October 28, 2002, concerning continuing the study of the situation in Iraq that the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs invite senior Government Officials from the Government of the United States and the Republic of Iraq to attend separate meetings of the Standing Committee to discuss the issues surrounding the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441, and to hear proposals from Canadian Members of Parliament which could be useful in diffusing the current situation, thereby avoiding conflict.

Debate arose.

Deepak Obhrai moved, - That the debate be adjourned.

By unanimous consent the motion was withdrawn.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was negatived, on a show of hands:

            YEAS 5    NAYS 10.

Alex McDonough moved, - That the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade call upon the Government of Canada to allow a vote in the House of Commons on the issue of Canada’s participation in any proposed military attack on Iraq.

Debate arose.

Deepak Ohbrai moved that the debate be adjourned.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to on a show of hands:

YEAS 5     NAYS 4

The Committee considered it’s future business.

It was agreed, - That the Chair be authorized to approve payment for a lunch offered by the Committee on February 4, 2003 to a delegation of Brazilian Parliamentarians.

The Committee considered the Second Report of the Sub-Committee on Agenda and Procedure which is as follows:

 

SECOND REPORT OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE ON AGENDA AND PROCEDURE

DEUXIÈME RAPPORT DU SOUS-COMITÉ DU PROGRAMME ET DE LA PROCÉDURE

 

 

Your Sub-Committee met on Tuesday, February 4, 2003 and agreed to report as follows:

Le Sous-comité s’est réuni le mardi 4 février 2003 et a convenu de présenter le rapport suivant  :

 

 

It was agreed, - That further to the Order of October 28, 2002, the Committee continue to monitor the Iraq issue and that, as required by circumstances, the Chair from time to time organize hearings to which the Minister of Foreign Affairs and appropriate officials and concerned non government organizations and individuals be invited to appear;

 

Il est convenu, - Que, suite à l’Ordre du 28 octobre 2002, le Comité continue à observer de près la question de l’Irak et que, tel qu’exigé par les circonstances, le président organise de temps à autre des audiences auxquelles seront invités à comparaître le ministre des Affaires étrangères ainsi que des fonctionnaires compétents et des organisations et individus représentant le secteur non-gouvernemental.

 

It was agreed, - That the Committee undertake a study of Canada’s relations with the Muslim world;

 

Il est convenu, - Que le Comité entreprenne une étude des relations du Canada avec le monde musulman.

 

It was agreed, - That the Committee hold a hearing on border issues with other concerned committees in the near future to review developments since the signature of the December 2001 Smart Borders Declaration, with the Minister Responsible for Border Issues to be invited to appear;

Il est convenu, - Que le Comité tienne avec d’autres comités concernés, dans un avenir rapproché, une audience sur les questions frontalières afin de constater les progrès réalisés depuis la signature de la Déclaration sur la frontière intelligente, de décembre 2001, et qu’il invite le ministre responsable des questions frontalières à comparaître.

 

It was agreed, - That in relation to the Committee report Partners in North America: Advancing Canada’s Relations with the United States and Mexico, the Committee undertake to hold trilateral meetings with members of the Foreign Affairs Committees of the United States and Mexican Congresses after the tabling of the Government Response, pursuant to Standing Order 109;

Il est convenu, - Que, relativement au rapport du Comité intitulé Partenaires en Amérique du Nord : Cultiver les relations du Canada avec les États-Unis et le Mexique, le Comité entreprenne de tenir des rencontres trilatérales avec les membres des comités des affaires étrangères des Congrès des États-Unis et du Mexique, après le dépôt de la réponse du gouvernement, conformément à l’article 109 du Règlement.

 

It was agreed, - That the Committee hold a hearing on February 13, 2003 concerning key food and agriculture policy issues in relation to development matters and that representatives of the Canadian Food Security Policy Group be called to appear;

 

Il est convenu, -  Que le Comité tienne une audience le 13 février 2003 sur des questions clés de politique alimentaire et agricole affectant les politiques de développement et que des représentants du Groupe canadien de réflexion sur la sécurité alimentaire soient invités à comparaître.

It was agreed, - That the Committee host a working lunch for the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Macedonia on Tuesday, February 18, 2003;

 

Il est convenu, - Que le Comité organise un déjeuner de travail pour la ministre des Affaires étrangères de la Macédoine, le mardi 18 février 2003.

 

It was agreed, - That the request from Amnesty International for the Committee to consider relations with China in view of human rights concerns be referred to the Sub-Committee on Human Rights and International Development;

 

Il est convenu, - Que la demande d’Amnistie internationale pour que le Comité examine les relations du Canada avec la Chine selon la perspective des droits de la personne soit renvoyée au Sous-comité des droits de la personne et du développement international.

 

It was agreed, - That, during the annual appearance of the Ambassador for disarmament, pursuant to Recommendation 2 of the Committee’s December 1998 Report, Canada and the Nuclear Challenge: Reducing the Political Value of Nuclear Weapons for

the Twenty-First Century, representatives of the Canadian Network to Abolish Nuclear Weapons be also invited to appear;

 

Il est convenu, - Que, pendant la comparution annuelle de l’ambassadeur pour le désarmement, conformément à la recommandation no 2 du rapport du Comité daté de décembre 1998, Le Canada et le défi nucléaire : réduire l’importance politique de l’arme nucléaire au XXIe

 

siècle, des représentants du Réseau canadien pour l’abolition des armes nucléaires soient également invités à comparaître.

 

It was agreed, - That the invitation of December 11, 2002 from the Auditor General for Committee to consider Chapter 3 of the December, 2002 Report, “Special Import Measures Act: Protecting against Dumped or Subsidized Imports” be referred to the Sub-Committee on International Trade, Trade Disputes and Investments;

 

Il est convenu, - Que l’invitation lancée au Comité le 11 décembre 2002 par la vérificatrice générale d’examiner le chapitre 3 de son rapport de décembre 2002, « La Loi sur les mesures spéciales d’importation : une protection contre les importations sous-évaluées ou subventionnées », soit renvoyée au Sous-comité du commerce international, des différends commerciaux et des investissements internationaux.

It was agreed, - That for motions requiring 24 hours notice, pursuant to the Order of  October 21, 2002, the Chair be authorized to defer consideration until 15 minutes prior to the adjournment time for the meeting as indicated in the Notice of the Meeting.

 

Il est convenu, - Que, pour les motions exigeant un préavis de 24 heures, conformément à l’ordre du 21 octobre 2002, le président soit autorisé à en reporter l’étude jusqu’aux dernières 15 minutes précédant l’heure prévue pour lever la séance, tel qu’il est indiqué dans l’avis de réunion.

 

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

Respectueusement soumis,

 

 

 

Le président,

 

 

 

 

 

Bernard Patry

Chair

 

On a motion by Francine Lalonde it was agreed, - That the second paragraph of the report be amended by adding after the words “with the Muslim world” the following: “while participating in the foreign policy review”.

It was agreed, - That the third paragraph of the report be amended by inserting the words “including the December 2002 Safe Third Country Agreement” between the words “Smart Borders Declaration” and “with the Minister responsible”.

It was agreed, - That the Second Report of the Sub-Committee on Agenda and Procedure, as amended, be concurred in.

It was agreed, - That the Committee hold hearings as required to consider the North Korea question.

At 11:01 a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Stephen Knowles

Clerk(s) of the Committee