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Minutes of Proceedings

44th Parliament, 1st Session
Meeting 95
Tuesday, October 31, 2023, 11:02 a.m. to 1:03 p.m.
Webcast
Presiding
Martin Champoux, Vice-Chair (Bloc Québécois)

Library of Parliament
• Gabrielle de Billy Brown
• Liane Tanguay, Analyst
 
House of Commons
• Jacques Maziade, Procedural Clerk
National Gallery of Canada
• Jean-François Bélisle, Director and Chief Executive Officer
Pursuant to Standing Orders 110 and 111, the committee commenced consideration of the Order in Council appointment of Jean-François Bélisle to the position of Director of the National Gallery of Canada, referred to the committee on Monday September 25, 2023.

Jean-François Bélisle made a statement and answered questions.

Motion

Rachael Thomas moved, — That the President of the CBC, Catherine Tait appear before committee for a total of three hours on Thursday November 2, 2023.

A point of order was raised as to the procedural acceptability of the proposed motion.

RULING BY THE CHAIR

The Chair ruled the motion admissible as the member had the floor and the notice period had been respected.

Whereupon, Peter Julian appealed the decision of the Chair.

The question: "Shall the decision of the Chair be sustained?" was put and the decision was sustained on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Anna Gainey, Marilyn Gladu, Lisa Hepfner, Taleeb Noormohamed, Martin Shields, Rachael Thomas, Kevin Waugh — 7;

NAYS: Peter Julian — 1.

Accordingly, the Chair’s decision was sustained.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was negatived on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Marilyn Gladu, Martin Shields, Rachael Thomas, Kevin Waugh — 4;

NAYS: Michael Coteau, Anju Dhillon, Anna Gainey, Lisa Hepfner, Peter Julian, Taleeb Noormohamed — 6.

Questioning of the witness resumed.

Motion

Martin Shields moved, — Given that, the Department of Canadian Heritage approved ‘anti-racism’ grants upwards of $130,000 to Laith Marouf of the Community Media Advocacy Centre (CMAC) despite his open and repeated history of racist, anti-semitic, violent and anti-francophone language, and that, after 8 months of the Department of Canadian Heritage confirming that they have revoked the grant funds and requested a return in full, the Department has yet to receive any of the revoked funding, the committee:
a) Demand the immediate return of all government grant funding awarded to Laith Marouf;
b) Call on the Government of Canada to collect the revoked grant funds by any means necessary, including legal action;
c) Hear testimony from the Minister of Heritage on this matter within one week of this motion being adopted;
d) Report this to the House .

Debate arose thereon.

At 12:11 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 12:14 p.m., the sitting resumed.

The debate continued

At 12:41 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 12:55 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Amendment

Taleeb Noormohamed moved, — That the motion be amended by replacing the words “Demand the immediate return of” with the following: “Instruct the government of Canada to continue to use all efforts to collect”; by adding after the words “Laith Marouf” the following: “and that officials report to this committee within 30 days on its progress on recuperating the funds.”; and by deleting subparagraphs b), c), and d).

Debate arose thereon.

Motion

Taleeb Noormohamed moved, — That the committee do now adjourn.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Michael Coteau, Anju Dhillon, Anna Gainey, Lisa Hepfner, Peter Julian, Taleeb Noormohamed — 6;

NAYS: Marilyn Gladu, Martin Shields, Rachael Thomas, Kevin Waugh — 4.

At 1:03 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.



Geneviève Desjardins
Clerk of the committee