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2021-12-07 [p.85]

Pursuant to Standing Orders 68(2) and 69(1), on motion of Mr. Lametti (Minister of Justice), seconded by Mrs. Lebouthillier (Minister of National Revenue), Bill C-5, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, was introduced, read the first time, ordered to be printed and ordered for a second reading at the next sitting of the House.

2021-12-07 [p.85]

Pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), Mr. Drouin (Glengarry—Prescott—Russell) presented the report of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, 2nd Parliamentary Conference on the Sahel, New York, New York, United States of America, from November 14 to 15, 2019. — Sessional Paper No. 8565-441-52-01.

2021-12-07 [p.85]

Pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), Mr. Drouin (Glengarry—Prescott—Russell) presented the report of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, Parliamentary Seminar on Parliamentary Oversight and Public Policy Evaluation, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, from November 14 to 15, 2019. — Sessional Paper No. 8565-441-52-02.

2021-12-07 [p.85]

Pursuant to Standing Orders 68(2) and 69(1), on motion of Mr. Garrison (Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke), seconded by Ms. Mathyssen (London—Fanshawe), Bill C-206, An Act to amend the National Defence Act (maiming or injuring self or another), was introduced, read the first time, ordered to be printed and ordered for a second reading at the next sitting of the House.

2021-12-07 [p.86]

Pursuant to Standing Orders 68(2) and 69(1), on motion of Ms. Blaney (North Island—Powell River), seconded by Ms. Kwan (Vancouver East), Bill C-207, An Act to amend the Canadian Bill of Rights (right to housing), was introduced, read the first time, ordered to be printed and ordered for a second reading at the next sitting of the House.

2021-12-07 [p.86]

Presenting Petitions

Pursuant to Standing Order 36, petitions certified by the Clerk of Petitions were presented as follows:

2021-12-07 [p.86]

— by Ms. May (Saanich—Gulf Islands), one concerning natural resources and energy (No. 441-00040);

2021-12-07 [p.86]

— by Mr. MacGregor (Cowichan—Malahat—Langford), one concerning taxation (No. 441-00041);

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— by Ms. Blaney (North Island—Powell River), one concerning government services and administration (No. 441-00042).

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The order was read for the consideration of the business of supply.

Mr. O'Toole (Durham), seconded by Mr. Ruff (Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound), moved, — That, given that real-time parliamentary oversight was impossible due to the dissolution of Parliament, the House appoint a special committee with a mandate to conduct hearings to examine and review the events related to the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, including, but not limited to, the government's contingency planning for that event and the subsequent efforts to evacuate, or otherwise authorize entry to Canada of, Canadian citizens, and interpreters, contractors and other Afghans who had assisted the Canadian Armed Forces or other Canadian organizations, provided that:

(a) the committee be composed of 12 members, of which six shall be from the government party, four shall be from the official opposition, one shall be from the Bloc Québécois, and one shall be from the New Democratic Party;

(b) the members shall be named by their respective whip by depositing with the Clerk of the House the list of their members to serve on the committee within 24 hours of the adoption of this order;

(c) membership substitutions be permitted, if required, in the manner provided for in Standing Order 114(2);

(d) changes to the membership of the committee shall be effective immediately after notification by the relevant whip has been filed with the Clerk of the House;

(e) the Clerk of the House shall convene an organizational meeting of the committee no later than Friday, December 17, 2021;

(f) the committee be chaired by a member of the government party and, notwithstanding Standing Order 106(2), there shall be one vice-chair from each of the other recognized parties;

(g) quorum of the committee be as provided for in Standing Order 118 and that the Chair be authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence and to have that evidence printed when a quorum is not present, provided that at least four members are present, including one member of the opposition and one member of the government party;

(h) the committee be granted all of the powers of a standing committee as provided in the Standing Orders;

(i) the provisions of Standing Order 106(4) shall also extend to the committee, provided that any request shall be signed by members representing at least two recognized parties;

(j) the committee have the power to authorize video and audio broadcasting of any or all of its proceedings;

(k) the Prime Minister, the Minister of International Development, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Public Safety, the Minister of National Defence, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, the member for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, and other ministers and senior officials, be invited to appear as witnesses from time to time as the committee sees fit;

(l) the committee be instructed to present a final report within six months of the adoption of this order;

(m) the committee's initial work shall be supported by an order of the House issuing for all memoranda, emails, documents, notes or other records from the Privy Council Office, the Department of National Defence, the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, and the Department of Citizenship and Immigration, including the Office of the Prime Minister and the relevant ministers' offices, which refer to:

(i) the initiation of evacuation planning,

(ii) instructions to implement those plans,

(iii) the effect upon the implementation of those plans attributable to the dissolution of Parliament, the caretaker convention, or the facts that relevant ministers were simultaneously occupied with seeking re-election to the House and that many ministerial exempt staff were on leaves of absence, or

(iv) the determination of the number of individuals who would be evacuated or otherwise authorized to enter Canada,

provided that,

(v) these documents shall be deposited with the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel, in both official languages, within one month of the adoption of this order,

(vi) a copy of the documents shall also be deposited with the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel in both official languages within one month of the adoption of this order, with any proposed redaction which, in the government's opinion, could reasonably be expected (A) to compromise national security, military tactics or strategy of the armed forces of Canada or an allied country, or intelligence sources or methods, or (B) to reveal the identity or location of any Canadian citizen in Afghanistan or of any interpreter, contractor or other Afghan individual who had assisted the Canadian Armed Forces or other Canadian organizations,

(vii) the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel shall promptly thereafter notify the Speaker, who shall forthwith inform the House, whether he is satisfied the documents were produced as ordered;

(viii) the Speaker shall cause the documents, as redacted pursuant to subparagraph (vi), to be laid upon the table at the next earliest opportunity and, after being tabled, they shall stand referred to the committee,

(ix) the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel shall discuss with the committee, at an in camera meeting, to be held within two weeks of the documents being tabled pursuant to subparagraph (viii), whether he agrees with the redactions proposed by the government pursuant to subparagraph (vi),

(x) the committee may, after hearing from the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel pursuant to subparagraph (ix), accept the proposed redactions or, reject some or all the proposed redactions and request the production of those unredacted documents in the manner to be determined by the committee; and

(n) any proceedings before the committee, when hybrid committee meetings are authorized, in relation to a motion to exercise the committee's power to send for persons, papers and records shall, if not previously disposed of, be interrupted upon the earlier of the completion of four hours of consideration or one sitting week after the motion was first moved, and, in turn, every question necessary for the disposal of the motion shall be put forthwith and successively, without further debate or amendment.

Debate arose thereon.

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By unanimous consent, it was ordered, — That, notwithstanding any standing order, special order or usual practice of the House, during the debate on the business of supply pursuant to Standing Order 81(5) on Tuesday, December 7, and Wednesday, December 8, 2021:

(a) the time provided for consideration of the Supplementary Estimates (B) in committee of the whole be extended beyond four hours, as needed, to include a minimum of 16 periods of 15 minutes each; and

(b) members rising to speak during the debate may indicate to the Chair that they will be dividing their time with another member.

2021-12-07 [p.89]

The House resumed consideration of the motion of Mr. O'Toole (Durham), seconded by Mr. Ruff (Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound), in relation to the business of supply.

The debate continued.

2021-12-07 [p.89]

Statements By Members

Pursuant to Standing Order 31, members made statements.

2021-12-07 [p.89]

Oral Questions

Pursuant to Standing Order 30(5), the House proceeded to Oral Questions.

2021-12-07 [p.89]

By unanimous consent, it was ordered, — That, given the increase in gun violence and the numerous deadly shootings in the streets of Montreal and the metropolitan area in recent weeks, and notwithstanding any standing order, special order or usual practice of the House:

(a) the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security be instructed to undertake as a priority a study on gun control, illegal arms trafficking and the increase in gun crimes committed by members of street gangs;

(b) the members to serve on the committee be appointed by the whip of each recognized party depositing with the Clerk of the House a list of his or her party's members before the adjournment of the House;

(c) the Clerk of the House shall convene a meeting of the committee on a priority basis no later than Wednesday, December 8, 2021; and

(d) the Minister of Public Safety, as well as representatives of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, appear before the committee as witnesses for a period of three hours each as the committee sees fit.