FAIT 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
Meeting No. 35
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1998
The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade met at 9:13 o’clock a.m., this day, in room 308 of the West Block, the Chair, Bill Graham, presiding.
Members of the Committee present: Sarkis Assadourian, Jean Augustine, Colleen Beaumier, John Cannis, Maud Debien, Bill Graham, Raymonde Folco, Gurmant Grewal, Ted McWhinney, Julian Reed, Svend Robinson, Benoît Sauvageau, Bob Speller, Daniel Turp.
Acting Member present: Monique Guay for Benoît Sauvageau.
In attendance: From the Parliamentary Research Branch of the Library of Parliament: James Lee and Gerald Schmitz, Research Officers.
Witnesses: From The Canadian Council of Churches: Joe Gunn, Director, Social Affairs Office, Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops; Very Rev. Bruce McLeod, Former Moderator, United Church of Canada; The Most Rev. Michael G. Peers, Primate, the Anglican Church of Canada; Ernie Regehr, Policy and Public Affairs Director, Project Ploughshares Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies; Bishop Telmor Sartison, Evangelican Lutheran Church in Canada; Janet Somerville, General Secretary, Canadian Council of Churches; Gérald Baril, Assistant Secretary General, Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. From Nanoose Conversion Campaign: Norman Abbey, Director.
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee resumed its examination of Canada’s policy on nuclear non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament.
Janet Somerville, The Most Reverend Michael G. Peers and Gérald Baril each made an opening statement and, with other witnesses from the Canadian Council of Churches, answered questions.
At 10:08 o'clock a.m., the sitting was suspended.
At 10:12 o'clock a.m., the sitting resumed.
Norman Abbey made a statement and answered questions.
The Chair presented the Fourth Report of the Sub-Committee on Agenda and Procedure which is as follows:
Your Sub-Committee met on Tuesday, February 24th, 1998 to consider the future business of the Committee and agreed to make the following recommendations:
It was agreed, -- That the Committee meet with a Delegation of Members from the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Slovak Republic Thursday, March 12, 1998 from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m.
It was agreed, -- That the Committee meet with Friends of Burma and Burmese Parliamentarians in Exile, during a conference on Burma which will be convened in Ottawa April 27-28.
It was agreed, -- That further to its decision of February 3rd, 1998, the Committee seek the permission of the House to travel to Washington D.C. and New York from March 29 to April 1st, 1998.
It was agreed, -- That unless there is unanimous consent, forty-eight (48) hours notice must be given to the Members of the Committee before any new item of business is considered by the Committee.
It was agreed, -- That a resolution adopted by the Committee on December 11,1997 regarding Canadian Far East Prisoners of World War II, be reported to the House as its Fourth Report and that the Committee request a government response.
It was agreed, -- That the Sub-Committee on Human Rights and International Development examine the coherent application of human rights objectives to Canadian foreign policy on trade, aid and investment and that Members of the Standing Committee be encouraged to participate in this study.
It was agreed, -- That the Sub-Committee on International Trade, Trade Disputes and Investment examine dairy and agricultural issues in the context of World Trade Organization rules.
After debate, it was agreed, -- That paragraph five (5) regarding the Committee resolution related to Canadian Far East Prisoners of World War II be stood until the Minister of Veterans Affairs has had a reasonable opportunity to respond to the resolution.
After debate, it was agreed, -- That paragraph six (6) and seven (7) regarding the future studies of the Sub-Committees of the Committee on Human Rights and International Development and International Trade and Trade Disputes and Investment be referred to the Sub-Committee on Agenda and Procedure for further review.
It was agreed, -- That paragraphs one (1) to four (4) of the report be concurred in.
Sarkis Assadourian moved, -- That whereas the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade has decided to refer the issue of the linkage between human rights and trade to the Human Rights Sub-Committee for a full examination and report;
And whereas I have proposed a resolution to the Committee concerning the sale of Candu reactors to Turkey;
And whereas the issue of human rights is inextricably linked to the security and political stability of the region as a whole, particularly in relation to the historic mistreatment of minorities, in addition to the relationship between neighbours in the region - Turkey, Iraq, Armenia, Cyprus, Syria and Greece;
And whereas all these issues are of direct concern to Canadians and to our friends and allies in the European Union and NATO and should be addressed in a coherent fashion in our foreign policy;
Be it resolved that the motion for which I gave notice on Feb. 10 be tabled in order to permit the issue raised therein to be discussed as a part of the Sub-Committee's work and to be the subject matter of recommendations of the report to be prepared by the Sub-Committee.
And debate arising thereon.
Svend Robinson moved, -- That the following text be inserted following the word "minorities" in paragraph three (3): "including the Turkish genocide of Armenian people, the illegal Turkish occupation of northern Cyprus and the brutal persecution of the Kurdish minority including elected parliamentarian Leyla Zana,"
After debate, by unanimous consent it was agreed that the amendment and the motion be stood.
It was further agreed, -- That the motion and the amendment would be taken up again by the Committee following the resolution of the disposition of the examination of human rights, trade, aid and investment by the Committee or its Sub-Committees.
At 11:10 o’clock a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.
Janice Hilchie
Clerk of the Committee