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CACN Committee Meeting

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Special Committee on the Canada–People’s Republic of China Relationship

NUMBER 025

1st SESSION

44th PARLIAMENT

EVIDENCE

Monday, October 23, 2023

[Recorded by Electronic Apparatus]

(1720)

[English]

The Chair (Mr. Ken Hardie (Fleetwood—Port Kells, Lib.)):

This is to signify we're now in public for the purpose of paying attention to a motion from Mr. Kmiec, which was put on notice on October 6.

We will cede the floor to Mr. Kmiec.

Mr. Tom Kmiec (Calgary Shepard, CPC):

Thank you, Chair.

This is the motion I am moving:

That the committee conduct a meeting on Canada’s freeze in government-led activity with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and that the committee invite the Minister of Finance to appear before the committee for one hour and department officials and Bob Pickard, former Director General of Communications at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, to appear before the committee for two hours to update the committee on the investigation into allegations that the bank is dominated by the People’s Republic of China, and to provide an update on the current state of the investigation.

As a quick refresher on what happened, on June 14, the Minister of Finance announced that an expedited review would be conducted, and on June 15, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank welcomed that review, so it's been about four months since this was announced. The government has been conducting a review but has not made an announcement.

I'll draw to the attention of committee members that TD Securities actually handled AIIB's first bond issuance back in 2019. This is a bank that the Canadian government joined in 2016. It is a bank that has financed operations and projects all over Asia and other parts of the world. Canada is already a member of the ADB, the Asian Development Bank.

I would like to have the minister appear with her officials and with the gentleman who made serious allegations against the bank's activities, and have them come to committee to provide an update on this review.

Thank you, Chair.

The Chair:

Mr. Oliphant, go ahead.

Hon. Robert Oliphant (Don Valley West, Lib.):

We'll be in support of this, but I'd like to add the following amendment: “and that this meeting happen not earlier than December 1, and not later than December 15, 2023.”

The Chair:

Mr. Chong, go ahead.

Hon. Michael Chong (Wellington—Halton Hills, CPC):

I support that amendment.

The Chair:

Mr. Kmiec, are you okay with that?

Mr. Tom Kmiec:

Yes, I am okay with the suggestion.

The Chair:

Are we in agreement that that's how we will proceed?

(Amendment agreed to)

(Motion as amended agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

The Chair: It's agreed. Thank you.

With that, I believe our committee business for the day is done. I want to thank everybody around the table. It's been a very productive session with a lot of good creativity.

I want to thank our interpreters, our staff and, of course, the analysts, who have done an outstanding job of getting us ready for today.

The meeting is adjourned.