Information & Ethics Committee on June 18th, 2024

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

Mr. Green is moving an amendment.

I don't think I need to stop the meeting for that to be understood.

I appreciate your clarifying that, Mr. Green. Do you have any other comments on your amendment?

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

No.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

We're on the amendment.

I need a new list. I have Ms. Damoff on the amendment.

Go ahead, Ms. Damoff.

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

Thanks, Chair.

I have a request. If the clerk could circulate the emails to us, we could get the full email chain. We can only see part of it. If there is an email exchange that's being sent to us.... I don't remember seeing those before, but if they are going to be sent, could we get the full email exchange, as opposed to parts of it?

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

Is that on your iPhone? Just so I'm clear, you're referring to what you see on your iPhone.

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

I've seen it on my computer, too. It shows part of it—

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

Okay.

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

—but we don't see whether there's a response. Can we make sure we see everything, Chair?

That's all.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

Okay. That's not a problem.

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

We're on the amendment here.

Go ahead, Mr. Fisher, on the amendment, please.

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Further to what Pam said, to the clerk through you, Mr. Chair, I saw some of that stuff, too, but I didn't see the invites. I saw the responses. I'm interested in knowing when those invites were sent.

This speaks to Mr. Green's amendment to the motion to say, “invite”. It was a week ago that we passed the motion, and I didn't see anything in what the clerk said that indicated they were not willing or somewhat enthusiastic to come to committee. I think “summon” is a strong word. It's probably a word we may have to use someday, but I'd say that, in this situation, I agree with Mr. Green.

I'd be interested in knowing when the invites were sent, what dates were offered, when they responded—whether it was immediate—whether the witnesses ever refused or hesitated to appear, and what other dates have been offered since their response.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

I tried to clarify that at the beginning of the meeting. I turned to the clerk and asked if I had missed anything and whether she needed to fill in any of the gaps.

If you want the entire list of the invites and correspondence back and forth, I know the clerk.... Do you want an email on that, or...?

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Well, it's just to see the—

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

Okay. If the clerk is prepared to answer the question, she can go ahead.

Go ahead, Madam Clerk, if you want.

[The Clerk of the Committee, Ms. Nancy Vohl]

Is the question on when it was sent?

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

It's when the initial email was sent, when responses came back and when the follow-up emails were sent.

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

It can be sent to us. I'm curious now. It doesn't have to be read out now, if you don't want to read it.

[The Clerk]

Okay. Well, again, I have no issue saying it.

I touched base by phone to get email addresses as soon as the motion was adopted, so it was within a few hours of the meeting being over. That was on July 11. The two witnesses talked to me over the phone—

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

It was June 11, just to be clear.

[The Clerk]

I'm sorry if I said “July”.

They gave me their email addresses, and I proceeded to send the invitation right away on the same day. That was on June 11. Then I talked with some. Some came with an answer by email faster. Last Friday, I sent a renewed invitation, offering other dates.

I can prepare all of that and send a distribution.

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

I'll support that amendment that Mr. Green....

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

There was some back-and-forth with legal counsel representing the two witnesses as well, so we can include all of that in an email, if you like. Is that okay?

On the amendment, I don't have any other discussion.

Do we have consensus on the amendment?

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

No.

[The Chair, Conservative, John Brassard]

We don't have consensus. We'll go to a vote on the amendment. Go ahead, Madam Clerk.

(Amendment agreed to: yeas 7; nays 3 [See Minutes of Proceedings])