LCJC - Standing Committee

Legal and Constitutional Affairs

Past Session: Past Session:
36-1 36th Parliament, 1st Session (September 22, 1997 - September 18, 1999)
Select a different session
 

Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Legal and Constitutional Affairs

Issue 9 - Minutes of Proceedings

OTTAWA, Wednesday, December 3, 1997
(10)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, met this day in Room 257, East Block, at 3:33 p.m., the Chair, the Honourable Senator Lorna Milne, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Beaudoin, Cogger, Doyle, Gigantès, Jessiman, Lewis, Losier-Cool, Milne and Moore (9).

Other senators present: The Honourable Senator Hays.

In attendance: Nancy Holmes, Research Officer, Research Branch of the Library of Parliament.

Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.

Pursuant to the Order of Reference adopted by the Senate on Wednesday, October 29, 1997, the committee continued its consideration of Bill S-5, An Act to amend the Canada Evidence Act and the Criminal Code in respect of persons with disabilities, to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act in respect of persons with disabilities and other matters and to make consequential amendments to other Acts. (See Issue No. 2, Thursday, October 30, 1997, for full text of Order of Reference.)

APPEARING:

The Honourable Anne McLellan, M.P., P.C., Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada.

WITNESSES:

From the Canadian Bankers Association:

Ms Harriet Stairs, Executive Vice-President, Bank of Montreal;

Mr. Andrew Finlay, Senior Counsel, Employment Law Group, The Bank of Nova Scotia;

Ms Lynda White, Manager, Employment Equity and Diversity Management, Royal Bank.

From ÉGALE:

Mr. John Fisher, Executive Director;

Ms Pam MacEachern, Member, Legal Issues Committee.

From the Department of Justice:

Mr. Mark Berlin, Senior Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section;

Mr. Stephen Sharzer, Senior Counsel, Human Rights Law Section;

Ms Gloria Mintah, Counsel, Public Law Policy Section.

The Chair made an opening statement.

Ms Harriet Stairs made a statement and together with Mr. Finlay and Ms White, answered questions.

Mr. John Fisher and Ms Pam MacEachern each made a statement and answered questions.

The Honourable Anne McLellan, P.C., made a statement and, together with Mr. Mark Berlin, Mr. Stephen Sharzer and Ms Gloria Mintah, answered questions.

At 6:20 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

ATTEST:

Heather Lank

Clerk of the Committee