Mr. Speaker, I rise to propose that a standing committee on Canada-India relations be created. Therefore, if you seek it, you should find unanimous consent for the following motion: That the House recognize: (1) Canada's Foreign Interference Commission has identified the Government of India as a possible foreign interference actor in Canada; (2) an October 2022 CSIS intelligence assessment stated that the Government of India proxy agents have provided electoral support to “a number of politicians at all levels of government”; (3) on October 14, 2014, the RCMP commissioner released findings indicating that agents of the Government of India were involved in serious criminal activity on Canadian soil, posing an ongoing and significant threat to safety; that the House appoint a special committee with a mandate to conduct hearings to examine and review all aspects of Canada-Government of India relationships, including, but not limited to, diplomatic, consular, legal, security, public safety, political and economic relations, provided that:

(a) the committee be composed of 12 members, of which six shall be from the government party, four shall be from the official opposition, one shall be from the Bloc Québécois and one shall be from the New Democratic Party; (b) the whips of the recognized parties shall deposit with the Clerk of the House the list of their members to serve on the committee within four calendar days after the adoption of this motion; (c) changes to the membership of the committee shall be effective immediately after notification by the relevant whips have been filed with the Clerk of the House;

(d) membership substitutions be permitted, if required, in the manner provided for in Standing Order 114(2); (e) the Clerk of the House shall convene an organizational meeting within one week after the adoption of this motion; (f) the chair of the committee shall be a member of the government party, the first vice-chair shall be a member of the official opposition, the second vice-chair shall be a member of the Bloc Québécois and the third vice-chair shall be a member of the New Democratic Party;

(g) the quorum of the committee be as provided for in Standing Order 118, provided that the chair be authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence and to have that evidence printed when at least four members are present, including one member of the opposition and one member of the government; (h) the committee be granted all the powers of a standing committee as provided in the standing orders, including the power to: (i) travel, accompanied by the necessary staff inside and outside of Canada; (ii) authorize video and audio broadcasting of any or all proceedings; (i) the provision of Standing Order 106(4) shall also extend to the committee;

(j) the committee shall have the first priority for the use of House resources for committee meetings; and, (k) any proceeding before the committee in relation to a motion to exercise the committee's power to send for persons, papers and records shall, if not previously disposed of, be interpreted upon the earlier of the completion of four hours of consideration or one sitting week after the motion was first moved and in turn every question necessary for the disposal of the motion shall be put forthwith and successively without further debate or amendment.

Jagmeet Singh

$702,540.00