HAFF Committee Meeting
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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Meeting No. 55
Thursday, March 14, 2002
The Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs met in a televised session at 11:08 a.m. this day, in Room 253-D, Centre Block, the Chair, Peter Adams, presiding.
Members of the Committee present: Peter Adams, Pierre Brien, Marlene Catterall, Yvon Godin, Michel Guimond, Jay Hill, Joe Jordan, Carolyn Parrish, Geoff Regan, Jacques Saada and Tony Tirabassi.
Acting Members present: David Pratt for Paul Macklin; Leon Benoit for Garry Breitkreuz; Beth Phinney for John Richardson; James Moore for Cheryl Gallant; Jason Kenney for Randy White.
Other Member present: Marcel Proulx.
In attendance: From the Library of Parliament: James Robertson, research officer.
Marcel Proulx presented a report from the Sub-Committee on Private Members’ Business.
Joe Jordan moved, - That the draft report be adopted as the
Committee's Report to the House and that the Chair present the Report to the
House.
Debate arose thereon.
The question being put on the motion, it was agreed to on division.
Pursuant to the Order of Reference from the House of Thursday, February 7, 2002, the Committee resumed consideration of the question of privilege raised on January 31, 2002 by the Member for Portage--Lisgar concerning the charge against the Minister of National Defence of making misleading statements in the House (see Minutes of Proceedings of Thursday, February 7, 2002, Meeting No. 43).
The Committee resumed consideration of a motion by Leon Benoit -- That the Minister of National Defence be invited to appear before the Committee at the earliest opportunity.
Debate continued.
The question being put on the motion it was negatived on the following recorded division:
|
YEAS: Leon Benoit Pierre Brien Yvon Godin Michel Guimond Jay Hill Jason Kenney James Moore (7) |
NAYS: Marlene Catterall Joe Jordan Carolyn Parrish David Pratt Geoff Regan Beth Phinney Jacques Saada Tony Tirabassi (8) |
Pierre Brien moved --That Ms. Wendy Gilmour, Political Advisor to the Canadian Joint Headquarters, U.S. Central Command, be invited as a witness by this Committee.
Debate arose thereon.
The question being put on the motion it was negatived on the following recorded division:
|
YEAS: Leon Benoit Pierre Brien Yvon Godin Michel Guimond Jay Hill Jason Kenney James Moore (7) |
NAYS: Marlene Catterall Joe Jordan Carolyn Parrish David Pratt Geoff Regan Beth Phinney Jacques Saada Tony Tirabassi (8) |
Pierre Brien moved -- That Mr. George Young, Executive Assistant to the Minister of National Defence be invited as a witness by this Committee.
Debate arose thereon.
The question being put on the motion it was negatived on the following recorded division:
|
YEAS: Leon Benoit Pierre Brien Yvon Godin Michel Guimond Jay Hill Jason Kenney James Moore (7) |
NAYS: Marlene Catterall Joe Jordan Carolyn Parrish David Pratt Geoff Regan Beth Phinney Jacques Saada Tony Tirabassi (8) |
Michel Guimond moved -- That the Committee invite Commodore Thiffault as a witness in person, in Ottawa, in Tampa Bay or by teleconference.
Debate arose thereon.
The question being put on the motion it was negatived on the following recorded division:
|
YEAS: Yvon Godin Michel Guimond Jay Hill (3) |
NAYS: Leon Benoit Joe Jordan Jason Kenney James Moore Carolyn Parrish David Pratt Geoff Regan Beth Phinney Carmen Provenzano Jacques Saada Tony Tirabassi (11) |
Jay Hill moved -- That, in light of the letter received from Mel Cappe, dated February 28, 2002, identifying Foreign Affairs Minister Graham as the Acting Minister of Defence during the absences from Canada by Defence Minister Eggleton, the Committee inquire in writing to Chief of Defence Staff General Henault and Vice-Admiral Maddison as to whether Minister Graham was briefed at any time between January 20th and January 29th 2002 about JTF2 taking prisoners and turning them over to Americans.
Debate arose thereon.
The question being put on the motion it was agreed to by a show of hands: YEAS 8; NAYS 3.
At 12:25 the sitting was suspended.
At 12: 28, the Committee proceeded to sit in camera.
It was moved – That the Clerk prepare a report to the House indicating that the Committee has concurred that the Minister of National Defence did not intentionally mislead the House and therefore has been found not to be in contempt and that the said report be brief, unless the Minister of Foreign Affairs indicates that he was briefed.
It was moved, – That the motion be amended by adding: “and that dissenting opinions be similarly brief.”
The question being put on the amendment, it was negatived.
It was moved, - That the motion be amended by deleting the words: “and therefore has been found not to be in contempt”.
The question being put on the amendment, it was negatived.
By unanimous consent, it was agreed that the main motion read as follows: That the Clerk prepare a report to the House indicating that, unless the Minister of Foreign Affairs indicates that he was briefed, the Committee has concluded that the Minister of National Defence did not intentionally mislead the House and therefore has been found not to be in contempt and that the said report be brief.
By unanimous consent, it was agreed that opposition parties be permitted to append a dissenting opinion to the report and that it be provided to the Clerk in both official languages and in electronic format no later than Thursday March 21, 2002.
At 13:10, the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.
Patrice Martin
Clerk of the Committee