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Minutes of Proceedings

44th Parliament, 1st Session
Meeting 95
Tuesday, November 21, 2023, 11:05 a.m. to 12:06 p.m.
In Camera
Presiding
Hon. Bardish Chagger, Chair (Liberal)

Library of Parliament
• Andre Barnes, Analyst
• Sarah Dodsworth, Analyst
The committee proceeded to the consideration of matters related to committee business.

At 11:32 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 11:34 a.m., the sitting resumed.

It was agreed, — That, given the hurt and international embarrassment created by allowing a former soldier of a Nazi military unit in World War II to attend and be recognized during the President of Ukraine’s special address to Parliament, on Friday, September 22, 2023 and; that proper vetting wasn’t done; that the committee begin a study, pursuant to Standing Orders 108(3)(a)(i) and (ii), concerning this matter, and for the purposes of this study;

A) the committee invite the following to appear:

(i) current and former officials from the Office of Protocol of Canada, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, including those who organized the President’s visit and previous Parliamentary Addresses, on a panel by themselves, for two hours;

(ii) officials from the Federal Policing branch of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, including those with responsibility for internationally protected persons under the Protection of Diplomats Convention, on a panel by themselves, for one hour;

(iii) officials from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, on a panel by themselves, for one hour;

(iv) the Acting Director of the Parliamentary Protective Service, RCMP Superintendent Larry Brookson, by himself, for one hour;

(v) the Sergeant at Arms of the House of Commons, former RCMP Assistant Commissioner Pat McDonell, by himself, for one hour;

(vi) officials from the International and Interparliamentary Affairs branch of the House of Commons Administration, on a panel by themselves, for one hour;

(vii) officials from the Privy Council Office, on a panel by themselves, for one hour;

(viii) officials from the Prime Minister’s Office, on a panel by themselves, for one hour;

(ix) representatives of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress and the Canadian Polish Congress, on a panel by themselves, for one hour;

(x) Michael Levitt, former MP and President and CEO of the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies, and Richard Marceau, former MP and Vice President (External Affairs and General Counsel) of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, and Joe Roberts from JSpaceCanada, on a panel by themselves, for one hour;

B) an order do issue for all e-mails, memoranda or other documents transmitted between the Speaker’s Office or the House of Commons Administration, on the one part, and any government department or agency, including the Prime Minister’s Office or any other minister’s office, as well as the House Leaders of all recognized parties and their offices, on the other part, in relation to the Address of the President of Ukraine, including but not limited to reference to the name “Yaroslav Hunka”, and the arrangements concerning it, provided that these shall be deposited with the clerk of the committee, in both official languages and without redaction, within ten days; and

C) that the committee does not begin hearing from witnesses until it receives documents referenced in (B).

At 11:38 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 11:50 a.m., the sitting resumed.

At 12:06 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.



Michael MacPherson
Clerk of the committee