SECU 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.
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Minutes of Proceedings
Doug Shipley moved, — That Raquel Dancho be elected First Vice-Chair of the committee.
The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 11; NAYS: 0.
The Minister made a opening statement and, with Aiesha Zafar, answered questions.
At 4:43 p.m., the meeting was suspended.
At 4:49 p.m., the meeting resumed.
The committee continued its study with new witnesses.
Harpreet S. Kochhar, Aiesha Zafar, Michael Duheme, Ted Gallivan and Vanessa Lloyd answered questions.
Doug Shipley moved, — Given that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have arrested an additional alleged Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist, who was preparing to carry out a massacre targeting the Jewish community in New York City, the committee expand its Review of the Foiled Terrorist Plot in Toronto and of the Security Screening Process for Permanent Residence and Citizenship Application by no less than eight meetings to further examine how alleged ISIS terrorists are able to enter and reside in Canada; that the Minister of Public Safety and his officials be invited to reappear for no less than two hours; that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) officials, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officials, RCMP officials, and Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) officials be invited to reappear before the committee; and that no more than one Minister, agency or department testify at a time.
Debate arose thereon.
At 4:48 p.m., the meeting was suspended.
At 4:49 p.m., the meeting resumed.
Jennifer O'Connell moved, — That the motion be amended by deleting the words “by no less than eight meetings to further examine how alleged ISIS terrorists are able to enter and reside in Canada; that the Minister of Public Safety and his officials be invited to reappear for no less than two hours; that IRCC officials, CBSA officials, RCMP officials, and CSIS officials be invited to reappear before the committee; and that no more than one Minister, agency or department testify at a time.”
And that the motion be amended by adding after the words “Application” the following: “includes questions around this more recent arrest in its meetings.”.At 5:00 p.m., the meeting was suspended.
At 5:07 p.m., the meeting resumed.
Debate arose thereon.
Raquel Dancho moved, — That the motion be amended by adding after the words “its meetings” the following: “and invites both the Minister of Public Safety and the Minister of Immigration and Citizenship to return for 2 hours respectively with officials once the investigative findings have progressed.”.
At 5:17 p.m., the meeting was suspended.
At 5:28 p.m., the meeting resumed.
The question was put on the subamendment of Raquel Dancho and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 0; NAYS: 11.
Raquel Dancho moved, — That the motion be amended by adding after the words “its meetings” the following: “; that as part of this study both the Minister of Public Safety and officials, and the Minister of Immigration and officials reappear for no less than two hours each separately upon the conclusion of the investigation by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), or within 28 days of the adoption of this motion, whichever is sooner.”.
The question was put on the subamendment of Raquel Dancho and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 11; NAYS: 0.
The question was put on the amendment of Jennifer O'Connell and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 11; NAYS: 0.
The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 11; NAYS: 0.
Questioning of the witnesses resumed.
By unanimous consent, Pam Damoff moved, — That pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), and given recent charges by the United States Department of Justice against RT (the Russian state media broadcaster) in a scheme to funnel $10M to a media organization in North America; and that Canadian companies and individuals have been found to be connected to this Russian propaganda effort,
The committee invite the following witnesses to testify for no less two hours on their participation in Russian-backed interference and far-right disinformation campaigns intended to manipulate the Canadian public:- Lauren Chen
- Liam Donovan
- Lauren Southern
- Marcus Kolga, Journalist
- Aaron Shull, Managing Director at Centre for International Governance Innovation
- Wesley Wark, Senior Fellow at Centre for International Governance Innovation
- Stephanie Carvin, Professor at Carleton University
- Thomas Juneau, Professor at University of Ottawa
- Shelly Bruce, Former Chief of the Communications Security Establishment
- Richard Fadden, Former Director of CSIS
- Guillaume Sirois, Representative of the Russian Canadian Democratic Alliance
- Mark Power, Representative of the Russian Canadian Democratic Alliance
- Alexandra Chyczij, President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress
Debate arose thereon.
Alistair MacGregor moved, — That the motion be amended by adding after the words “concerning activity” the following: “, without being limited to the following list :”.
The question was put on the amendment of Alistair MacGregor and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 11; NAYS: 0.
The question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:
YEAS: Dan Albas, Pam Damoff, Raquel Dancho, Peter Fragiskatos, Iqwinder Gaheer, Dane Lloyd, Alistair MacGregor, Kristina Michaud, Jennifer O'Connell, Doug Shipley, Salma Zahid — 11;
NAYS: — 0.
At 5:48 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.