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SRSR Committee Meeting

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Minutes of Proceedings

44th Parliament, 1st Session
Meeting 69
Monday, December 4, 2023, 4:11 p.m. to Tuesday, January 30, 2024, 11:07 a.m.
Webcast
Presiding
Lloyd Longfield, Chair (Liberal)

• Shaun Chen for David Lametti (Liberal)
• Paul Chiang for Lena Metlege Diab (Liberal)
• Chad Collins for David Lametti (Liberal)
• Luc Desilets for Maxime Blanchette-Joncas (Bloc Québécois)
• Ted Falk for Michelle Rempel Garner (Conservative)
• Joël Lightbound for Ryan Turnbull (Liberal)
• Charles Sousa for Ryan Turnbull (Liberal)
Library of Parliament
• Kelsey Brennan, Analyst
• Grégoire Gayard, Analyst
 
House of Commons
• Andrew Wilson, Procedural Clerk
• Jean-François Lafleur, Procedural Clerk
As an individual
• Kyle Bobiwash, Assistant Professor
• Mark Bonta, Geographer
• Jared Gonet, PhD Candidate, Conservation Biology
• Brenda Parlee, Professor, UNESCO Chair, University of Alberta
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(i) and the motion adopted by the committee on Monday, September 18, 2023, the committee resumed its study of integration of indigenous traditional knowledge and science in government policy development.

Mark Bonta, Kyle Bobiwash, Jared Gonet, and Brenda Parlee made statements and answered questions.

At 4:47 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 5:26 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Questioning of the witnesses resumed.

Motion

Corey Tochor moved, — Given that: the Openmind Research Institute decision to partner with Huawei, and considering the dangers of advanced AI falling into the wrong hands, and given the risks posed by the People’s Republic of China which have advanced to such a level that the Director of CSIS has publicly warned that “Everything that they're doing in our universities and in new technology, it's going back into a system very organized to create dual-use applications for the military” and, given that this committee has received expert testimony characterizing this as an “existential threat” to Canada, while the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry has consistently failed to proactively protect Canadians from the risks posed by companies with ties to the Chinese Communist regime such as Huawei, while insisting that “Our government's commitment to research security was further affirmed” the Science and Research Committee expresses its deep concern with this partnership to the House.

Amendment

Richard Cannings moved, — That the motion be amended by adding after the words “this partnership to the House.” the following: “That the committee invite witnesses to appear in light of this partnership, in view of its study of the use of federal government research and development grants, funds, and contributions by Canadian universities and research institutions in partnerships with entities connected to the People’s Republic of China".

Subamendment

Michelle Rempel Garner moved, — That the amendment be amended by adding after the words “People’s Republic of China.” the following: “That the committee hold this meeting prior to December 15, 2023”.

Motion

Ryan Turnbull moved, — That the debate be now adjourned.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Valerie Bradford, Richard Cannings, Shaun Chen, Lena Metlege Diab, Helena Jaczek, Ryan Turnbull — 7;

NAYS: Ben Lobb, Michelle Rempel Garner, Gerald Soroka, Corey Tochor — 4.

Questioning of the witnesses resumed.

At 6:00 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 6:05 p.m., the sitting resumed in camera.

The committee proceeded to the consideration of matters related to committee business.

It was agreed, — To resume debate on the motion of Maxime Blanchette-Joncas..

At 6:34 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 5:02 p.m., on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, the sitting resumed.

At 5:40 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 5:45 p.m., the sitting resumed.

At 6:10 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 6:15 p.m., the sitting resumed.

At 7:45 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 3:31 p.m., on Monday, December 11, 2023, the sitting resumed.

At 5:31 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 11:00 a.m., on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, the sitting resumed.

It was agreed, — That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(i), the Standing Committee on Science and Research conduct a study on the balance of federal government funding among Canada's universities, and more specifically on the concentration of funding among U15 member universities in comparison with small and medium-sized universities; that the committee devote at least 12 hours to the study and that the committee report its findings to the House.

At 11:07 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.



Hilary Smyth
Clerk of the committee