FAAE Committee Meeting

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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 21

Thursday, April 3, 2008

The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development met at 3:31 p.m. this day, in Room 308, West Block, the Chair, Kevin Sorenson, presiding.

Members of the Committee present: Vivian Barbot, Johanne Deschamps, Paul Dewar, Peter Goldring, Wajid Khan, Denis Lebel, Deepak Obhrai, Bernard Patry and Kevin Sorenson.

Acting Members present: Nicole Demers for Johanne Deschamps, Hon. Mark Eyking for Hon. Bob Rae, David J. McGuinty for Hon. Raymond Chan, Hon. Maria Minna for Hon. Keith Martin and Borys Wrzesnewskyj for Hon. Raymond Chan.

In attendance: Library of Parliament: Gerald Schmitz, Principal ; James Lee, Analyst.

Witnesses: Rights and Democracy: Jean-Paul Hubert, Interim President; Danièle Magloire, Coordinator, Haiti Office; Nicholas Galletti, Americas Regional Officer. Parliamentary Centre: John Wood, Program Manager, Haiti. Canadian Foundation for the Americas (FOCAL): Carlo Dade, Executive Director. Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade: Ginette Martin, Acting Director General, Latin America and Caribbean Bureau; Robert Derouin, Director General, Stabilization and Reconstruction Task Force (START) Secretariat. Canadian International Development Agency: Luc Fréchette, Director General, Haiti and Dominican Republic, Americas Branch; Louis Verret, Director, Haiti and Dominican Republic, Americas Branch. Royal Canadian Mounted Police: David Beer, Director General, International Policing.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), and the motion adopted on March 4, 2008, the Committee proceeded to a briefing to update the Committee on the situation in Haiti.

Jean-Paul Hubert, Danièle Magloire, John Wood and Carlo Dade made statements and answered questions.

At 4:33 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 4:35 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Ginette Martin, Luc Fréchette and David Beer made statements and answered questions.

At 5:15 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 5:16 p.m., the sitting resumed.

The Committee proceeded to the consideration of matters related to Committee business.

The Committee resumed consideration of the motion of Vivian Barbot, — Whereas Omar Khadr, a young Canadian, will soon be facing trial by military commission on allegations of war crimes;

Whereas he is the only foreign national still being held at Guantanamo; and whereas his trial would be the first in which a tribunal would rule on war crimes committed by a child soldier, therefore it is proposed:

That the Committee invite to appear, as soon as possible, first and foremost, Omar Khadr’s lawyers and experts to explain why they are calling for all accusations against Khadr to be dismissed; and

That the Minister of Foreign Affairs and relevant government representatives be invited to appear before the Committee to report on measures taken with respect to this file.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 7; NAYS: 0.

At 5:32 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Angela Crandall
Clerk of the Committee

2008/05/06 8:22 a.m.