Proceedings of the Special Committee on
Illegal Drugs
Issue 2 - First Report of the Committee
Thursday, May 10, 2001
The Special Committee on Illegal Drugs has the honour to present its
FIRST REPORT
Your Committee, which was authorised by the Senate on March 15, 2001 to reassess Canada's anti-drug legislation and policies, respectfully requests that it be empowered to engage the services of such counsel and technical, clerical, and other personnel as may be necessary, and to adjourn from place to place within and outside Canada.Pursuant to Section 2:07 of the Procedural Guidelines for the Financial Operations of Senate Committees, the Budget submitted to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and the report of said Committee are appended to this report.
Respectfully submitted,
PIERRE CLAUDE NOLIN
Chair
SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON ILLEGAL DRUGS
APPLICATION FOR BUDGET AUTHORIZATION
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 2002
Extract from the Journals of the Senate, Thursday, March 15, 2001:
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Nolin, seconded by the Honourable Senator Molgat and on the motion in amendment by the Honourable Senator Kenny, seconded by the Honourable Senator Nolin:
That a special committee of the Senate be struck to examine:
The approach taken by Canada to cannabis, its preparations, derivatives and similar synthetic preparations, in context;
The effectiveness of this approach, the means used to implement it and the monitoring of its application;
The related official policies adopted by other countries;
Canada's international role and obligations under United Nations agreements and conventions on narcotics, in connection with cannabis, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other related treaties; and
The social and health impacts of cannabis and the possible consequences of different policies;
That the special committee consist of five senators, three of whom shall constitute a quorum;
That the Honourable Senators Banks, Kenny, Nolin, Rossiter and (a fifth Senator to be named by the Chief Government Whip) be named to the committee.
That the committee be authorized to send for persons, papers and records, to hear witnesses, to report from time to time, and to print from day to day such papers and evidence as may be ordered by it;
That the briefs and evidence heard during consideration of Bill C-8, An Act respecting the control of certain drugs, their precursors and other substances and to amend certain other Acts and repeal the Narcotic Control Act in consequence thereof, by the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs during the 2nd Session of the 35th Parliament be referred to the committee;
That the documents and evidence compiled on this matter and the work accomplished by the Special Senate Committee on Illegal Drugs during the 2nd Session of the 36th Parliament be referred to the committee;
That the committee be empowered to authorize, if deemed appropriate, the broadcasting on radio and/or television and the coverage via electronic media of all or a part of its proceedings and the information it holds;
That the committee present its final report no later than August 31, 2002; and that the committee retain the powers necessary to publicize its findings for distribution of the study contained in its final report for 30 days after the tabling of that report;
That the committee be authorized, notwithstanding customary practice, to table its report to the Clerk of the Senate if the Senate is not sitting, and that a report so tabled be deemed to have been tabled in the Senate.
After debate,
The question being put on the motion as amended, it was adopted.
Paul C. Bélisle
Clerk of the Senate
SUMMARY OF EXPENDITURES
| PROFESSIONAL AND OTHER SERVICES | $ 225,275.00 |
| TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS | $ 111,572.00 |
| OTHER EXPENDITURES | $ 7,500.00 |
| TOTAL | $ 344,347.00 |
The above budget was approved by the Special Committee on Illegal Drugs on the 19th day of the month of March, 2001.
The undersigned or an alternate will be in attendance on the date that this budget is considered.
______________________ _____________________________________________________________________
Date
Senator Pierre Claude Nolin, Chairman, Special Committee on Illegal Drugs
______________________ _____________________________________________________________________
Date
Chairman, Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
INFORMATION NOTE
PAST BUDGETS
(SPECIAL STUDY)
Total budget expenditures for fiscal year 2000-2001 $ 64,837.92
SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON ILLEGAL DRUGS
EXPLANATION OF COST ELEMENTS
PROFESSIONAL AND OTHER SERVICES
1. Communications (0435)
(@ $4,200/month) $ 50,400.00
2. Director of Research (0401)
(@ $500/day x 120 days + expenses) $ 70,000.00
3. Repayment to PC Caucus Fund $ 40,000.00
4. Additional Research Expenses (0401)
(ad hoc services) $ 15,000.00
5. Temporary Help Services (0407)
(Administrative Assistant - $175/day x 125 days) $ 21,875.00
6. Hospitality (0415)
(Working lunches/dinners) $ 3,000.00
7. Interpretation Equipment (0412)
(5 days @ $2,500) $ 12,500.00
8. Reporters (0403)
(5 days @ $2,500) $ 12,500.00
Total $ 225,275.00
TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS
1. Travel Expenses (0201/0203)
A) Research Travel - 5 trips
Airfare
($3,000 x 5) $ 15,000.00
Hotel
(2 nights @ $175 x 5) $ 1,750.00
Per diem
(3 days @ $60 x 5) $ 900.00
Miscellaneous
($100 x 5) $ 500.00
Sub-Total $ 18,150.00
B) Public Hearings (0201)
Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Whitehorse, Edmonton
13 participants (5 Senators, 2 Researchers, 3 Staff, 1 French Reporter, 2 English Reporters)
Air Transportation
5 x $6,000 (business class) $ 30,000.00
8 x $5,199 (economy class) $ 41,592.00
Ground Transportation
20 taxis @ $25 x 6 days $ 3,000.00
Per Diem
13 x $60.00 x 6 days $ 4,680.00
Hotel
13 x $175 x 6 days $ 13,650.00
Sub-Total $ 92,922.00
2. Courier (0213) and Telephone (0223) $ 500.00
Total $ 111,572.00
ALL OTHER EXPENDITURES
1. Purchase of stationery, books, supplies and periodicals (0707/0702) $ 5,000.00
2. Room Rentals (0500)
(5 days @ $500) $ 2,500.00
Total $ 7,500.00
TOTAL $ 344,347.00
The Senate administration has reviewed this budget application.
_______________________________________________________ ___ _______________
Heather Lank Date
Director of Committees and Private Legislation
_______________________________________________________ ___ _______________
Richard Ranger, Director of Finance Date
APPENDIX (B) TO THE REPORT
Thursday, May 10, 2001
The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has examined the budget presented to it by the Special Committee on Illegal Drugs for the proposed expenditures of the said Committee for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2002 for the purpose of its Special Study on the approach taken by Canada to cannabis, its preparations, derivatives and similar synthetic preparations, as authorized by the Senate on Thursday, March 15, 2001. The approved budget is as follows:
| Professional and Other Services | $ 83,000 |
| Transport and Communications | 10,500 |
| Miscellaneous | 5,000 |
| Total | $ 98,500 |
No funds are to be released for the repayment of the PC Caucus Research Fund, an expenditure that was incurred in fiscal year 2000-2001.
Respectfully submitted
RICHARD H. KROFT
Chairman