Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Legal and Constitutional Affairs
Issue 30 - Evidence, March 21, 2002
OTTAWA, Thursday, March 21, 2002
The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, to which was referred Bill C-30, to establish a body that provides administrative services to the Federal Court of Appeal, the Federal Court, the Court Martial Appeal Court and the Tax Court of Canada, to amend the Federal Court Act, the Tax Court of Canada Act and the Judges Act, and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts, met this day at 10:45 a.m. to give consideration to the bill.
Senator Lorna Milne (Chairman) in the Chair.
[English]
The Chairman: Before we proceed to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-30, I should like to call our witness from yesterday evening, Madame Bellis, to the table. Perhaps she can give us an answer to the question we raised yesterday.
Ms Judith Bellis, General Counsel and Director, Judicial Affairs, Courts and Tribunal Policy, Department of Justice: I can only report that, unfortunately, I was unable to get the instructions that I would require from the minister in order to pursue the issue of the letter today.
Senator Joyal: Madam Chair, I should like to address the witness through you, if the witness could stay at the table.
The Chairman: Yes, but only for a short time before we proceed to clause-by-clause consideration.
Senator Joyal: I do not want to delay the discussion this morning. Do I understand that you will be in a position to provide, later on today or in the forthcoming days, the information that we requested yesterday?
Ms Bellis: I am not in a position to make such an undertaking, Senator Joyal. I would need clear instructions from the Minister of Justice in order to do that.
Senator Joyal: I understand that. The only suggestion I would make is that you forward the letter to our chair. In the past, our chair has been provided with additional information, which was then circulated among the committee members. That has been very helpful.
Ms Bellis: I will make the inquiry through the minister's office and I will let the chair's office know.
The Chairman: Thank you. If I receive that information, I will circulate it.
Is it agreed, honourable senators, that the committee move to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-30?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: Shall the title stand postponed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: Shall clause 1 stand postponed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: Shall clause 2 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: Carried. Shall clauses 3 and 4 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: Carried. Shall clauses 5 to 7 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: Carried. Shall clauses 8 and 9 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: Carried. Shall clauses 10 and 11 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: Carried. Shall clause 12 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: Carried. Shall clauses 13 to 58 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
Senator Beaudoin: These are all amendments to the Federal Court Act, so I have no problem with that.
The Chairman: Carried. Shall clauses 59 to 81 carry? Those are the amendments to the Tax Court of Canada Act on pages 36 to 44.
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: Carried. Shall clauses 82 to 111 carry? These are amendments to the Judges Act on pages 44 to 60.
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: Carried. Shall clauses 112 to 184 carry? These are related and consequential amendments on page 60 to 86.
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: Carried. Shall clauses 185 to 192 carry? Those are found on pages 86 to 90.
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: Carried. Shall clauses 193 to 198 carry? These are the coordinating amendments.
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: Carried. Shall clause 199 carry? This is the coming into force clause.
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: Carried. Shall the schedule carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: Carried. Shall clause 1 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: Carried. Shall the title carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: Carried. Is it agreed that this bill be adopted without amendment?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: Agreed.
Is it agreed that I report this bill at the next sitting of the Senate?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: I shall report this bill this afternoon. I thank you all for showing up this morning. This meeting is now adjourned.
The committee is adjourned.