CITI Committee Meeting

STANDING COMMITTEE ON CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION

COMITÉ PERMANENT DE LA CITOYENNETÉ ET DE L'IMMIGRATION

EVIDENCE

[Recorded by Electronic Apparatus]

Thursday, October 8, 1998

• 1141

[English]

The Clerk of the Committee: Honourable members,

[Translation]

We have a quorum.

[English]

Your first order of the day is to elect a chair, and I'm ready to receive motions to that effect.

Mr. Leon E. Benoit (Lakeland, Ref.): Mr. Clerk, before we get on with those elections, I would just like to ask members here if they would be willing to discuss the idea of electing the chair and vice-chairs by secret ballot. It's something that I think would really help in the selection of the best chair and vice-chairs. It would certainly allow the the members the freedom to vote for the person they really wanted to vote for, without interference. So could we have some discussion on that?

Mr. Réal Ménard (Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, BQ): We will vote if we accept to vote for me as the vice-president.

Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

The Clerk: Honourable members are reminded that the clerk cannot receive any other types of motions, entertain points of order, or participate in debate. I'm here to receive motions for the election of a chairman.

Mr. Leon Benoit: If there is consensus, though—

Mr. John McKay (Scarborough East, Lib.): Mr. Chairman, could I put the name of Rey Pagtakhan in for chair?

Ms. Raymonde Folco (Laval West, Lib.): Seconded.

The Clerk: It's moved by Mr. McKay and seconded by Madame Folco that Mr. Pagtakhan do take the chair of the committee.

(Motion agreed to)

The Clerk: I invite Mr. Pagtakhan to take the chair.

Some hon. members: Hear, hear!

The Chairman (Mr. Rey D. Pagtakhan (Winnipeg North—St. Paul, Lib.)): I would like to thank all of you. I think it must be recorded in history as the first time I have won an election unanimously. If we can keep the record ongoing, I think I will be a happy man, and my wife will be happy.

Mr. Sarkis Assadourian (Brampton Centre, Lib.): It's the second time, Mr. Chairman.

The Chairman: Yes, the second time.

Mr. Sarkis Assadourian: Next time you can write in your résumé that even the opposition supported you.

The Chairman: Now I would like to proceed to the election of the vice-chairs, as indicated by the standing orders.

Mr. Mahoney.

Mr. Steve Mahoney (Mississauga West, Lib.): I'm happy to nominate Madame Folco as vice-chair.

The Chairman: Okay. The name of Madame Folco has been put for nomination as vice-chair.

(Motion agreed to)

The Chairman: Now we'll have the election of the second vice-chair.

Mr. McNally.

Mr. Grant McNally (Dewdney—Alouette, Ref.): Mr. Chair, I'd like to nominate Mr. Benoit as the vice-chair.

The Chairman: The name of Mr. Benoit has been put for second vice-chair.

An hon. member: Secret ballot.

Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

(Motion agreed to)

• 1145

The Chairman: As initially envisioned by the clerk of the committee, this is about the extent of our organizational meeting. So I suppose—

Mr. Ménard.

[Translation]

Mr. Réal Ménard: If that's what the committee wants...

[English]

How is your French, Mr. Chairman? Did you have time to learn since the last time?

The Chairman: I have progressed from kindergarten to grade one-half.

[Translation]

Mr. Réal Ménard: Mr. Chairman, I would like us to discuss the matter of time allocation so that we can be up and running by the next meeting. Am I making myself clear, Mr. Chairman?

The Chairman: Excuse me?

Mr. Réal Ménard: You're better with the Internet.

As I was saying, I would like us to discuss the matter of time allocation so that we can be ready to go at the next meeting. I would also like to give notice of two motions that I would like us to debate at our next meeting.

[English]

The Chairman: Proceed, please.

[Translation]

Mr. Réal Ménard: On the subject of time allocation... is everything all right, Mr. Deepak Obhrai?

[English]

The Chairman: So you're giving notice of motion.

[Translation]

Mr. Réal Ménard: Do I do that now?

[English]

The Chairman: Yes.

[Translation]

Mr. Réal Ménard: I would like to read my two motions, which I hope we can discuss at our next meeting, so that they can be translated and everyone has time to think about them.

I would like to dedicate my first motion to our vice-chair, Ms. Folco. It reads as follows:

That the Standing Committee on Immigration hear representations from Canadian NGOs involved in Chile to ensure that Chilean refugees in Montreal who must return to Chile are not subjected to any human rights violations.

I will explain my motion at the next meeting.

My second motion reads as follows:

That an information session be organized for the members of the standing committee to bring them up to speed on what is happening in countries where conflicts are raging and which are likely to produce political refugees.

The idea is to get an overall picture of the situation. Therefore, I would like to table these motions for discussion at our next meeting.

[English]

The Chairman: The motions have been received by the committee. I suppose we can plan to meet soon after the recess, and we can outline any other administrative issues that we will discuss at that time.

Members, feel free to call me at any time with any suggestions you would like me to consider for that meeting, in consultation with the clerk, so that we can have a very speedy meeting, swift and at the same time very substantive. Our time is very valuable, and I'm sure all of us would like that kind of approach to committee meetings.

At this point, do we have anything else?

The Clerk: No.

[Translation]

Mr. Réal Ménard: Are we going to discuss time allocation? Should we discuss this right now or would you prefer it if the matter was discussed by the other committee?

[English]

The Chairman: Maybe we could at the next meeting, so that all of us can give it some more thought and reason and perhaps have some pre-committee discussions. In that case we will be more ready for the debate at that time. Is that the feeling of the committee?

Mr. Benoit.

Mr. Leon Benoit: Mr. Chair, I just have a routine motion. I would like to move that the parliamentary secretary not be on the steering committee so that the committee feels really free to take on the business we want to take on.

The Chairman: I do not know about Mr. Clerk, but I am not used to receiving negative motions.

Mr. Leon Benoit: Well, I don't see it as a negative motion.

The Chairman: Steve.

Mr. Steve Mahoney: Mr. Chairman, just for clarification, is it appropriate that that motion is—?

The Chairman: Is it a notice of motion or what?

Mr. Leon Benoit: No. Let's have a discussion on that right now.

The Chairman: Can we place this on the agenda at this time?

The Clerk: Just to clarify for Mr. Benoit, the motion that was adopted last, unless it's been superseded by another one, did not indicate that this parliamentary secretary was on the steering committee. The steering committee is composed of the chair, the two vice-chairs, and a representative of each of the Bloc Québécois, the New Democratic Party, and the Progressive Conservative Party. That's the motion that's operative. As of now, there is no contingency for the parliamentary secretary to be a member of the steering committee.

Mr. Leon Benoit: Okay, that satisfies me. Thank you.

The Chairman: Perhaps we can revisit the steering committee.

What I intend to do, for the benefit of all of us, is have the composition of the steering committee brought for discussion so that we all know what rule we will be operating on. If need be, if there's any motion to be tabled, we will accept that, and we will discuss the two notices of motion that Mr. Ménard has just tabled.

Steve.

• 1150

Mr. Steve Mahoney: Are we debating the issue of the makeup?

The Chairman: No, not at this time.

Mr. Steve Mahoney: So we're not even dealing with the steering committee at the moment?

The Chairman: No, we're not.

Mr. Steve Mahoney: So we should just adjourn.

The Chairman: Yes.

Mr. Steve Mahoney: So moved.

The Chairman: We're adjourned.