FAIT Committee Meeting
Notices of Meeting include information about the subject matter to be examined by the committee and date, time and place of the meeting, as well as a list of any witnesses scheduled to appear. The Evidence is the edited and revised transcript of what is said before a committee. The Minutes of Proceedings are the official record of the business conducted by the committee at a sitting.
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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Meeting No. 2
Monday, October 28, 2002
The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade met at 3:40 p.m. this day, in Room 208, West Block, the Chair, Bernard Patry, presiding.
Members of the Committee present: Sarkis Assadourian, Stéphane Bergeron, Aileen Carroll, Irwin Cotler, John Duncan, John Harvard, Marlene Jennings, Francine Lalonde, Keith Martin, Pat O'Brien, Deepak Obhrai, Bernard Patry.
Acting Member present: Mac Harb for Mark Eyking.
In attendance: From the Parliamentary Research Branch of the Library of Parliament: James Lee and Gerald Schmitz, Research Officers.
The Committee discussed its future business.
The Chair presented the First Report of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure which is as follows:
FIRST REPORT OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE ON
AGENDA AND PROCEDURE
Your Sub-Committee met on Thursday, October 24, 2002 and agreed to report as follows:
The Subcommittee has noted the letter of October 10, 2002 from the whips of each party to the Clerk of the House and further notes that until the December adjournment the meeting block of the Committee will be Monday and Wednesday afternoons at 3:30 p.m. Committee meetings taking place at other times may be pre-empted by a Committee assigned to the block.
It was agreed, --That Bill C-14, An Act providing for controls on the export, import or transit across Canada of rough diamonds and for a certification scheme for their export in order to meet Canada's obligations under the Kimberley Process, be considered and disposed of on Wednesday, October 30 and that witnesses representing the sponsoring departments, non-governmental organizations and industry be called to appear.
It was agreed, --That the Committee hold hearings on the situation on Iraq prior to the December adjournment, that the Minister of Foreign Affairs be invited to appear on Thursday, October 31, 2002 and that the Committee staff prepare panels of witnesses and a schedule of hearings.
It was agreed, --That the request of the Falun Dafa Association of Canada to appear before the Committee be deferred to the Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Development.
It was agreed, --That the Committee meet, jointly with the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs if available, with representatives of the Middle Powers Initiative on Tuesday, October 29 at 3:30 p.m.
It was agreed, --That the Committee hold a public meeting to be followed by a committee hosted lunch, with a delegation from the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China on Monday, November 4, 2002.
It was agreed, --That the Committee meet jointly with the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agrifood on issues relating to world food supply and that the Director General, Food and Agricultural Organization and non-governmental organizations be invited to appear on Tuesday morning, November 5, 2002.
After debate, on a motion by John Harvard, the Report was concurred in.
The Committee considered a draft schedule of meetings for the weeks remaining until the adjournment in December.
After debate, on a motion by Marlene Jennings, the schedule was concurred in.
Keith Martin moved, --That pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee begin hearings, and invite witnesses including, but not limited to, the Secretary of State for Latin America and Africa, the Minister of International Cooperation, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Finance, officials from DFAIT, CIDA and the PMO, as well as other interested parties, to examine the Africa Fund announced in the December 2001 Budget.
Debate arose.
It was agreed, --That a meeting on the new policy of the Canadian International Development Agency on Strenghtening Aid Effectiveness, with the Minister of International Development and the President of the Canadian International Development Agency to appear, be scheduled at a date to be fixed by the Chair.
It was agreed, --That consideration of the urgent matter of impending genocide in several African states be referred to the Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Development and that the Subcommittee prepare recommendations for solutions to address the crisis.
It was agreed, --That the request of the Rassemblement canadien pour le Liban (RCPL) to appear before the Committee to present its study on human rights abuse and democracy in Lebanon be referred to the Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Development.
At 4:20 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.
Stephen Knowles
Clerk of the Committee