NDVA Committee Meeting
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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Meeting No. 124
Friday, September 17, 1999
The Standing Committee on National Defence and Veterans Affairs and the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade met jointly in a televised session at 10:05 a.m. this day, in Room 253-D, Centre Block, the Chair, Pat O'Brien and the Vice-Chair, Colleen Beaumier, presiding.
Members of the Committee present: Robert Bertrand, Hec Clouthier, Gordon Earle, Art Hanger, Pat O'Brien, John O'Reilly, David Pratt, George Proud, John Richardson.
Acting Members present: Paul Mercier for René Laurin.
Members of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade present: Sarkis Assadourian, André Bachand, Colleen Beaumier, Maud Debien, Hon. Sheila Finestone, Bob Mills, Bernard Patry, Charlie Penson, Svend Robinson, Darrel Stinson.
Acting Members of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade present: Bob Kilger for Bill Graham; Marlene Catterall for Jerry Pickard; Ian Murray for Bob Speller; Yves Rocheleau for Benoît Sauvageau; Francine Lalonde for Daniel Turp.
Other Member present: Elsie Wayne.
Members of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs present: Hon. John Stewart, Hon. Raynell Andreychuk, Hon. Peter Stollery; Hon. Pierre De Bané.
In attendance: From the Parliamentary Research Branch of the Library of Parliament: James Lee; Corinne McDonald, Research Officers. From Committees and Legislative Services: Janice Hilchie, Committee Clerk.
Appearing: Hon. Lloyd Axworthy, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Hon. Arthur C. Eggleton, Minister of National Defence; Hon. Maria Minna, Minister for International Cooperation.
Witnesses: From the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade: Paul Heinbecker, Assistant Deputy Minister, Global and Security Policy. From the Department of National Defence: Lt-Gen Raymond R. Henault, Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff. From the Canadian International Development Agency: Jean-Marc Metivier, Acting President.
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee convened a briefing session on Canada's involvement in East Timor.
The Honourable Lloyd Axworthy, the Honorouble Art Eggleton, and the Honourable Maria Minna each made an opening statement and, with Lt. Gen Raymond Henault, answered questions.
A point of order was raised as to the procedural acceptability of allowing a Senator to pose questions to the witnesses. The Chair then ruled:
RULING BY THE CHAIR
Citation 569(3) of Beauchesne's Fifth Edition states that "Committees are and must remain masters of their own procedure." The majority of members of the Committee wish to allow the Senator to have the floor. I therefore rule that the Senator may proceed to pose questions to the Ministers and their officials.
The Ministers and their officials continued to answer questions.
Whereupon Svend Robinson appealed the decision of the Chair.
The question was put on the decision and it was sustained on the following recorded division:
YEAS:
Pat O'Brien
Robert Bertrand
Hec Clouthier
John O'Reilly
David Pratt
George Proud
John Richardson -- 7
NAYS:
Art Hanger
Paul Mercier
Gordon Earle --3
At 12:23 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.
Eugene Morawski
Clerk of the Committee