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Minutes of Proceedings

43rd Parliament, 2nd Session
Meeting 21
Wednesday, March 31, 2021, 11:03 a.m. to 12:43 p.m.
Televised
Presiding
Hon. Geoff Regan, Chair (Liberal)

Library of Parliament
• Brendan Naef, Analyst
• Holly Porteous, Analyst
House of Commons
• Michel Bédard, Deputy Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel
• Philippe Dufresne, Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel
Pursuant to Standing Order 106(4) and the motion adopted on Monday, September 23, 2020, the committee commenced consideration of the request by four members of the committee to discuss their request for information and documents from the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Motion

Garnett Genuis moved, — That the committee send for all information and documents in the possession of the Public Health Agency of Canada or any subsidiary organizations relating to the transfer of Ebola and Henipah viruses to the Wuhan Institute of Virology in March of 2019 and the subsequent revocation of security clearances for, and termination of the employment of, Dr. Xiangguo Qiu and Keding Cheng, provided that:

(a) these documents shall be deposited with the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel, in an unredacted form, within 10 days of the adoption of this order;

(b) the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel redact all information that might reasonably be expected to compromise national security, or reveal details of an ongoing criminal investigation, other than the existence of an investigation, and provide the redacted versions to the committee;

(c) the committee hold an in-camera meeting with the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel, within seven days of the conclusion of his redaction of the documents, in order to determine which documents could be made public; and

(d) should the Public Health Agency of Canada not provide documents in their unredacted form within 10 days, the President of the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Acting Scientific Director General of the National Microbiology Laboratory be scheduled to appear for three hours before the committee, within 17 days of this motion passing, to explain why the documents were not provided.

Debate arose thereon.

Amendment

Jack Harris moved, — That the motion be amended by replacing the words “(b) the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel redact all information that might reasonably be expected to compromise national security, or reveal details of an ongoing criminal investigation, other than the existence of an investigation, and provide the redacted versions to the Committee;” with the words “(b) the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel discuss with the committee, in an in camera meeting, information contained therein, which in his opinion, might reasonably be expected to compromise national security or reveal details of an ongoing criminal investigation, other than the existence of an investigation, so that the committee may determine which information is placed before the committee in public; and,”.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Jack Harris and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Stéphane Bergeron, Michael D. Chong, Emmanuel Dubourg, Peter Fragiskatos, Garnett Genuis, Jack Harris, Robert Oliphant, Pierre Paul-Hus, John Williamson, Jean Yip, Lenore Zann — 11;

NAYS: — 0.

The debate on the motion, as amended, continued.

On motion of Jack Harris, it was agreed, — That the motion be amended by deleting paragraph (c) and that paragraph (d) be renamed paragraph (c).

The debate on the motion, as amended, continued.

Amendment

Robert Oliphant moved, — That the motion be amended by replacing the words “10 days” with the following: “30 days”; and by replacing the words “within 17 days of this motion passing” with the following: “within 37 days of this motion passing”.

Debate arose thereon.

Subamendment

Stéphane Bergeron moved, — That the amendment be amended by replacing the words “30 days” and “within 37 days of this motion passing” with the words “20 days” and “within 27 days of this motion passing”.

After debate, the question was put on the subamendment of Stéphane Bergeron and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Stéphane Bergeron, Michael D. Chong, Garnett Genuis, Jack Harris, Pierre Paul-Hus, John Williamson — 6;

NAYS: Emmanuel Dubourg, Peter Fragiskatos, Robert Oliphant, Jean Yip, Lenore Zann — 5.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Robert Oliphant, as amended, and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Stéphane Bergeron, Michael D. Chong, Garnett Genuis, Jack Harris, Pierre Paul-Hus, John Williamson — 6;

NAYS: Emmanuel Dubourg, Peter Fragiskatos, Robert Oliphant, Jean Yip, Lenore Zann — 5.

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

YEAS: Stéphane Bergeron, Michael D. Chong, Garnett Genuis, Jack Harris, Pierre Paul-Hus, John Williamson — 6;

NAYS: Emmanuel Dubourg, Peter Fragiskatos, Robert Oliphant, Jean Yip, Lenore Zann — 5.

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

That the committee send for all information and documents in the possession of the Public Health Agency of Canada or any subsidiary organizations relating to the transfer of Ebola and Henipah viruses to the Wuhan Institute of Virology in March of 2019 and the subsequent revocation of security clearances for, and termination of the employment of, Dr. Xiangguo Qiu and Keding Cheng, provided that:

(a) these documents shall be deposited with the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel, in an unredacted form, within 20 days of the adoption of this order;

(b) the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel discuss with the committee, in an in camera meeting, information contained therein, which in his opinion, might reasonably be expected to compromise national security or reveal details of an ongoing criminal investigation, other than the existence of an investigation, so that the committee may determine which information is placed before the committee in public; and

(c) should the Public Health Agency of Canada not provide documents in their unredacted form within 20 days, the President of the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Acting Scientific Director General of the National Microbiology Laboratory be scheduled to appear for three hours before the committee, within 27 days of this motion passing, to explain why the documents were not provided.

It was agreed, — That the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel advise the committee of when he receives the documents from the Public Health Agency of Canada and when he would be available to discuss his findings during an in camera meeting, and that priority be given to this meeting.

At 12:43 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.



Marie-France Lafleur
Clerk of the Committee