FAAE Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade met at 3:39 p.m. this day, in Room 371 West Block, the Chair, Bernard Patry, presiding.

The witness made a statement and answered questions.

At 5:02 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 5:08 p.m., the sitting resumed.

On motion of Peter Goldring, it was agreed, — That the proposed general operating budget in the amount of $ 10,100, for the period of December 8, 2004 to March 31, 2005 for the Sucommittee on Human Rights and International Development be adopted and that the Chair present the said budget to the Budget Subcommittee of the Liaison Committee.

Peter Goldring presented the First Report from the Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Developement which is as follows:

In accordance with its mandate under Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted on October 14, 2004 by the Standing Committee on Foreign and International Trade, your Subcommittee has considered the issue of Human Rights in Burma and recommends the following:

That the Committee is of the opinion that the government must:

a) condemn more forcefully the repeated and systematic human rights violations committed by the military junta in power in Burma, particularly those involving certain minority groups, including arrests and imprisonment without trial, summary and arbitrary executions, torture, rape, kidnappings of women, men and children, forced labour, denial of fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of assembly, association and expression, the recruitment of child soldiers and massive relocations of civilian populations;

b) urge the authorities in Burma to release immediately and unconditionally all political prisoners, in particular Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD), to end their harassment of them, to abolish all repressive laws and measures contravening international human rights conventions, and to take action to end the appalling humanitarian crisis facing hundreds of thousands of displaced people and refugees at Burma’s borders (with China, India, Bangladesh and Thailand);

c) provide tangible political support to the legitimate authorities in Burma, specifically the government in exile (the National Coalition Government for the Union of Burma) and the Committee Representing the People’s Parliament;

d) impose more comprehensive economic measures on Burma, and in particular:

- review the effectiveness of the Export and Import Perrmits Act;

- review the feasibility of fully invoking the Special Economic Measure Act; and

- impose a legal ban on further investment in Burma

e) bring pressure to bear on the United Nations Secretary General and the international community, in order to establish a framework, primarily though ensuring the spread of the embargo, to bring the military junta to negotiate a peaceful transition toward democracy, in cooperation with the NLD and representatives of ethnic minority groups, as set out in all the resolutions of the United Nations on Burma since 1994;

f) call upon the authorities in Burma to include the National League for Democracy (NLD) and other political parties in the on-going process of the National Convention, and warn that any outcome from the convention without the participation of the NLD and other parties will not be recognized.

Alexa McDonough moved, — That the report be amended, in paragraph (c), by deleting the word “political” in order to make the report identical to the motion of the Committee adopted on December 1, 2004.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to.

It was agreed, — That the report be adopted as amended, as a report of the Committee to the House and that the Chair or his designate present the Report to the House .

Alexa McDonough moved, — That pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee call on the government of Canada to:

1) Develop skills and competence-related criteria for all government appointments, including Board Members and senior Officers of Crown Corporations and other government agencies, for which the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade has reviewing responsibility; and that this criteria specifically address the non-partisan nature of these appointments.

2) That the government then submit this criteria to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade for consideration, and approval with amendment if necessary.

3) That the Government of Canada then publicly release, including publishing in the Canada Gazette, the committee-approved criteria for each appointment.

4) That the names and background of each nominee for appointment be referred to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade 60 days prior to the date of their appointment, with an explanation of how each nominee has met the established criteria; and, that the Committee, unless it unanimously decides otherwise, shall have at least one full meeting every two months (while the House of Commons is in session) to review the nominees. .

Debate arose thereon.

It was agreed, — That the debate be now adjourned until the Committee has been able to examine a letter from the Leader of the Government in the House to the Chair on the subject of Government-in-Council appointments.

It was agreed, — That with regard to Bill C-25, An Act governing the operation of remote sensing space systems,

- the Committee commence consideration, during the week of January 31, 2005;

- the Chair in consultation with Committee staff identify and call witnesses for that week;

- a list of additional witnesses for subsequent hearings if required be drafted following recommendations from Members forwarded to the Clerk of the Committee by January 24, 2005.

At 5:33 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.