Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Human Rights
Issue 2 - Minutes of Proceedings
OTTAWA, Monday, February 4, 2008
(4)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights met this day at 5:06 p.m., in room 9, Victoria Building, the Chair, the Honourable A. Raynell Andreychuk, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Andreychuk, Jaffer, Munson, Oliver and Poy (5).
In attendance: Laura Barnett, Analyst, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament.
Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Wednesday, November 21, 2007 the committee continued its consideration of employment equity in the federal public service. (For complete text of order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 1.)
WITNESSES:
Canadian Human Rights Commission:
Jennifer Lynch, Chief Commissioner;
Hélène Goulet, Secretary General;
Philippe Dufresne, Director and Senior Counsel, Litigation Services Division;
Natalie Dagenais, Director, Investigations Division;
Alex Dei, Director, Employment Equity Compliance Division.
Public Service Alliance of Canada:
Lisa Addario, Employment Equity Officer;
Ed Cashman, Regional Executive Vice-President.
Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada:
Gary Corbett, Vice-President;
Al Ravjiani, Ontario Regional Director and Chair of the Human Rights in the Workplace Committee;
Allison Pilon, Research Officer.
As individuals:
Mark Persaud;
James C. Morton.
The chair made an opening statement.
Ms. Lynch made a statement and, together with Ms. Goulet, Mr. Dufresne, Ms. Dagenais and Mr. Dei, answered questions.
At 6:10 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 6:17 p.m., the committee resumed.
Ms. Cashman and Mr. Corbett each made a statement and, together with Ms. Addario, Mr. Ravjiani and Ms. Pilon, answered questions.
At 7:06 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 7:10 p.m., the committee resumed.
Mr. Persaud made a statement and, together with Mr. Morton, answered questions.
At 7:48 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
OTTAWA, Monday, February 11, 2008
(5)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights met this day at 5:05 p.m., in room 2, Victoria Building, the Chair, the Honourable A. Raynell Andreychuk, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Andreychuk, Dallaire, Jaffer, Munson and Oliver (5).
In attendance: Laura Barnett, Analyst, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament.
Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Wednesday, November 21, 2007 the committee began its consideration of issues relating to human rights and, inter alia, to review the machinery of government dealing with Canada's international and national human rights obligations.
WITNESSES:
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada:
Adèle Dion, Director General, Human Security and Human Rights Bureau;
Robert Sinclair, Deputy Director, Human Rights Section, Human Rights, Gender Equality, Health and Population Division.
Amnesty International Canada:
Alex Neve, Secretary General.
Rights and Democracy:
Jean-Paul Hubert, Interim President;
Lloyd Lipsett, Senior Assistant to the President.
The chair made an opening statement.
Ms. Dion made a statement and, together with Mr. Sinclair, answered questions.
At 6:13 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 6:15 p.m., the committee resumed.
Mr. Neve and Mr. Hubert each made a statement and, together with Mr. Lipsett, answered questions.
At 7:00 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Jessica Richardson
Clerk of the Committee