FAIT Committee Meeting

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 1

Monday, October 21, 2002

The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade met at 3:34 p.m. this day, in Room 371, West Block.

Members of the Committee present: Sarkis Assadourian, Aileen Carroll, Bill Casey, Irwin Cotler, Stockwell Day, The Hon. Art Eggleton, Mark Eyking, John Harvard, The Hon. Diane Marleau, Keith Martin, Deepak Obhrai, Bernard Patry, Svend Robinson.

Acting Members present: David Price for Marlene Jennings; Allan Tonks for Pat O’Brien; Kevin Sorensen for John Duncan; Antoine Dubé for Francine Lalonde.

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

Pursuant to the House of  Commons Order of Reference of October 10, 2002 and Standing Order 106(1) and (2), election of a Chair and Vice-Chairs.

The Clerk of the Committee presided over the election of a Chair.

On motion of Aileen Carroll, it was agreed, -That Bernard Patry be elected Chair of the Committee.

Accordingly, Bernard Patry was declared duly elected Chair of the Committee and took the Chair.

At 3:41 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 3:52 p.m., the sitting resumed.

On motion of David Price, it was agreed, - That Diane Marleau be elected Vice-Chair of the Committee.

On motion of Kevin Sorensen, it was agreed, - That Stockwell Day be elected Vice-Chair of the Committee.

On motion of David Price, it was agreed, - That the Chair, the Vice-Chairs, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, a representative of each of the Bloc Quebecois, the New Democratic Party and the Progressive Conservative Party, and two (2) additional representatives from the Liberal Party do compose the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure.

On motion of John Harvard, it was agreed, - That the Committee retain the services of one or more research officers from the Library of Parliament, as needed, to assist the Committee in its work, at the discretion of the Chair.

On motion of Stockwell Day, it was agreed, - It was agreed, -- That the Chair be authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence when a quorum is not present provided that at least three (3) members are present, including a member of the Opposition.

On motion of John Harvard, it was agreed, - That witnesses be given ten (10) minutes for their opening statement and, that during the questioning of witnesses, there be allocated ten (10) minutes for the first questioner (of each party) when a Minister appears before the Committee and five (5) minutes for other meetings and that thereafter five (5) minutes be allocated to each subsequent questioner alternating between opposition and government parties, at the discretion of the Chair.

On motion of Sarkis Assadourian, it was agreed, - That, if requested, reasonable travelling, accommodation and living expenses be reimbursed to witnesses who are invited to appear before the Committee up to a maximum of two (2) representatives for any one organization.

On motion of Sarkis Assadourian, it was agreed, - That the Clerk of the Committee be authorized to take, in conjunction with the Chair of the Committee, the appropriate measures to provide lunches for the Committee and its Subcommittees, for working purposes.

On motion of John Harvard, it was agreed, - That for the purpose of receiving foreign delegations in Committee, the Committee divide into two groups to be assigned to meet alternately with visiting delegations, as established in a list to be prepared by the Clerk of the Committee.

On motion of Svend Robinson, it was agreed, - That the Committee be authorized to purchase gifts to be presented to foreign hosts while travelling and as well to present from time to time when visited by foreign delegations in Ottawa.

On motion of David Price, it was agreed, - That unless there is unanimous consent, twenty-four (24) hours notice must be given to the Members of the Committee before any new item of business is considered by the Committee.

Svend Robinson moved, -- That, pursuant to Standing Orders 108(1) and 108(2), a Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Development to be chaired by a member elected by the Subcommittee, be established to inquire into matters relating to the promotion of respect for international human rights and the achievement of sustainable human development goals, as may be referred to it by the Committee; that the Subcommittee be composed of nine (9) members or associate members of which five (5) shall be government members and four (4) shall be opposition members, to be named following the usual consultations with the Whips; and that the Subcommittee be empowered to send for persons, papers and records, to receive evidence, to sit during a time when the Committee is not sitting in Ottawa, to sit when the Committee is sitting outside Parliamentary Precinct and to sit during periods when the House stands adjourned.

After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was, by a show of hands, agreed to: YEAS: 14; NAYS: 2

Stockwell Day moved, -- That the selection of the Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Development be done by secret ballot.

After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was negatived by a show of hands: YEAS: 7; NAYS: 8.

Svend Robinson moved, -- That, pursuant to Standing Orders 108(1) and 108(2), a Subcommittee on International Trade, Trade Disputes and Investment to be chaired by a member elected by the Subcommittee, be established to inquire into Canada’s trade and investment relations and in particular any matters pertaining to the negotiation and implementation of international agreements, as may be referred to it by the Committee; that the Subcommittee be composed of nine (9) members or associate members of which five (5) shall be government members and four (4) shall be opposition members, to be named following the usual consultations with the Whips; and that the Subcommittee be empowered to send for persons, papers and records, to receive evidence, to sit during a time when the Committee is not sitting in Ottawa, to sit when the Committee is sitting outside Parliamentary Precinct and to sit during periods when the House stands adjourned.

Debate arose thereon.

Stockwell Day moved, -- That the motion be amended by inserting between the words “elected by the Subcommittee” and “be established” the following words “and that the selection of the Chair of the Subcommittee on International Trade, Trade Disputes and Investment be done by secret ballot,”.

After debate, the question being put to the amendment and the result of the following recorded division having been announced:

YEAS

NAYS

The Chair voted in the negative.

Accordingly, the amendment was negatived.

The question being put on the main motion, it was agreed to.

On motion of Antoine Dubé, it was agreed, -- That the Clerk of the Committee be authorized to circulate documents received only when they exist in both official languages.

At 4:31 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Jean-Michel Roy

Committee Clerk