FAAE 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.

For an advanced search, use Publication Search tool.

If you have any questions or comments regarding the accessibility of this publication, please contact us at accessible@parl.gc.ca.

Previous day publication Next day publication

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 22

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development met at 3:34 p.m. this day, in Room 308, West Block, the Chair, Kevin Sorenson, presiding.

Members of the Committee present: Hon. Raymond Chan, Johanne Deschamps, Paul Dewar, Peter Goldring, Denis Lebel, Bernard Patry, Hon. Bob Rae and Kevin Sorenson.

Acting Members present: Harold Albrecht for Deepak Obhrai, Hon. Larry Bagnell for Hon. Keith Martin, Diane Bourgeois for Vivian Barbot and Jacques Gourde for Wajid Khan.

Witnesses: Institut québécois des hautes études internationales: Estelle Dricot, Professional Researcher, International Peace and Security Program. Rights and Democracy: Micheline Lévesque, Regional Officer, Asia. Canadian Friends of Burma: Tin Maung Htoo, Executive Director. OXFAM: Matt Waldman, Afghanistan Policy Adviser, Oxfam International.

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

On motion of Peter Goldring, it was agreed, — That Bernard Patry be elected First Vice-Chair of the Committee.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), and the motion adopted on November 20, 2007, the Committee proceeded to a briefing on the violent reaction of the Burmese regime to democratic movements in Burma.

Tim Maung Htoo, Estelle Dricot and Micheline Lévesque made statements and answered questions.

At 4:19 p.m., Harold Albrecht took the Chair.

At 4:23 p.m., Kevin Sorenson took the Chair.

At 4:31 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

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

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the Committee on November 20, 2007, the Committee resumed its study of Canada's mission in Afghanistan.

Matt Waldman made a statement and answered questions.

At 5:01 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 5:03 p.m., the sitting resumed.

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

Paul Dewar moved, — That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), and given that the Remote Sensing Space Systems Act enacted especially for RADARSAT-2 authorizes the Minister of Foreign Affairs to block the transfer of the satellite's license on grounds related to "national security (and) the defence of Canada", the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development immediately undertake a study of the consequences of the proposed sale of the space division of MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) to U.S.-based ATK (formerly Alliant Techsystems) on Canada’s national security and defence, reporting its recommendations to the House of Commons no later than April 16, 2008, and to this end, schedule additional meetings if necessary, including joint meetings with other committees such as the Standing Committees on Industry and National Defence, in order to complete these hearings and the report.

Debate arose thereon.

On motion of Peter Goldring, it was agreed, — That the motion be amended by deleting the word “that” before the words “the Remote Sensing Space Systems Act” and the words “enacted especially for RADARSAT-2 authorizes the Minister of Foreign Affairs to block the transfer of the satellite's license on grounds related to "national security (and) the defence of Canada"” before the words “the Standing Committee” .

On motion of Johanne Deschamps, it was agreed, — That the motion be amended by deleting the words “its recommendations ”.

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

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), and given the Remote Sensing Space Systems Act, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development immediately undertake a study of the consequences of the proposed sale of the space division of MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) to U.S.-based ATK (formerly Alliant Techsystems) on Canada’s national security and defence, reporting to the House of Commons no later than April 16, 2008, and to this end, schedule additional meetings if necessary, including joint meetings with other committees such as the Standing Committees on Industry and National Defence, in order to complete these hearings and the report.

It was agreed, — That the Committee hear witnesses on RADARSAT-2 on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 for two hours.

At 5:23 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Angela Crandall
Clerk of the Committee

2008/04/25 8:28 a.m.