The committee resumed consideration of a draft letter.

It was agreed, — That the committee proceed to sit in public.

At 11:10 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 11:21 a.m., the sitting resumed.

Jenny Kwan moved, — That the committee request Global Affairs Canada (GAC) to provide the unredacted findings of the internal investigation regarding the issuance of “inauthentic” facilitation letters to third parties to the law clerk and parliamentary counsel for redaction according to his discretion before being sent to the committee, and further that GAC provide to the committee the unredacted name and title of the official(s) within GAC that provided the “inauthentic” facilitation letter to George Young, acknowledged receipt of Senator McPhedran’s email and who shared the names of the vulnerable Afghans with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada no later than 30 days following the adoption of the motion.

Debate arose thereon.

At 11:26 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 11:39 a.m., the sitting resumed.

At 11:39 a.m., Sukh Dhaliwal took the Chair.

The debate continued.

At 11:42 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 11:57 a.m., the sitting resumed.

The debate continued.

A point of order was raised as to the procedural acceptability of the proposed motion.

RULING BY THE CHAIR

The Chair ruled that the motion is admissible.

Whereupon, Arielle Kayabaga appealed the decision of the Chair.

The question: "Shall the decision of the Chair be sustained?" was put and the decision was sustained on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Sylvie Bérubé, Tom Kmiec, Jenny Kwan, Larry Maguire, Greg McLean, Brad Redekopp — 6;

NAYS: Paul Chiang, Angelo Iacono, Arielle Kayabaga, Salma Zahid, Sameer Zuberi — 5.

The debate on the motion continued.

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

YEAS: Sylvie Bérubé, Paul Chiang, Angelo Iacono, Arielle Kayabaga, Tom Kmiec, Jenny Kwan, Larry Maguire, Greg McLean, Brad Redekopp, Salma Zahid, Sameer Zuberi — 11;

NAYS: — 0.

Tom Kmiec moved, — That the committee acknowledge it has received correspondence from the President of Canada-Hong Kong Link, Andy Wong; that it express its deep concern at the unreasonable delays being imposed on Hong Kong Pathway applicants of up to 21 months; that over 8,000 applications are still waiting to be processed; that Hong Kongers in Canada are freedom-loving people and keeping them in limbo is wrong; that the committee call on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to immediately begin processing renewals and extensions of open work permits and study permits; and that this matter be reported to the House.

Debate arose thereon.

At 12:40 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 12:45 p.m., the sitting resumed.

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

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

That the committee acknowledge it has received correspondence from the President of Canada-Hong Kong Link, Andy Wong; that it express its deep concern at the unreasonable delays being imposed on Hong Kong Pathway applicants of up to 21 months; that over 8,000 applications are still waiting to be processed; that Hong Kongers in Canada are freedom-loving people and keeping them in limbo is wrong; that the committee call on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to immediately automatically renew open work permits and study permits for Hong Kongers as they wait for their permanent resident application to be processed; that this matter be reported to the House; and pursuant to Standing Order 109, that the government provide a comprehensive response.

ORDERED, — That the Chair report to the House

Paul Chiang moved, — That the committee do now adjourn.

The question was put on the motion and it was negatived on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Paul Chiang, Angelo Iacono, Arielle Kayabaga, Salma Zahid, Sameer Zuberi — 5;

NAYS: Sylvie Bérubé, Tom Kmiec, Jenny Kwan, Larry Maguire, Greg McLean, Brad Redekopp — 6.

Jenny Kwan moved, — Given that between November 1, 2022, and November 24, 2023, only 77 of 21,472 applications from permanent residents seeking to join the regular force of the Canadian Armed Forces were accepted, the committee call on the government to immediately take action to expedite processing times for permanent residents in the recruiting process; including the security screening process, and that this motion be reported to the House.

Debate arose thereon.

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

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

Given that between November 1, 2022, and November 24, 2023, only 77 of 21,472 applications from permanent residents seeking to join the regular force of the Canadian Armed Forces were accepted, the committee call on the government to immediately take action to expedite processing times for permanent residents in the recruiting process, including the security screening process; that this motion be reported to the House; and, pursuant to Standing Order 109, that the government provide a comprehensive response.

Paul Chiang moved, — That the committee do now adjourn.

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

YEAS: Sylvie Bérubé, Paul Chiang, Angelo Iacono, Arielle Kayabaga, Jenny Kwan, Salma Zahid, Sameer Zuberi — 7;

NAYS: Tom Kmiec, Larry Maguire, Greg McLean, Brad Redekopp — 4.