Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Legal and Constitutional Affairs
Issue 33, Evidence - June 15, 2015
OTTAWA, Monday, June 15, 2015
The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, to which was referred Bill C-42, An Act to amend the Firearms Act and the Criminal Code and to make a related amendment and a consequential amendment to other Acts, met this day at 6:33 p.m. to give clause-by-clause consideration to the bill.
Senator Bob Runciman (Chair) in the chair.
[English]
The Chair: Good evening. Welcome colleagues, invited guests and members of the general public who are following today's proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs.
We are meeting this evening to take the final clause-by-clause consideration study of Bill C-42, An Act to amend the Firearms Act and the Criminal Code and to make a related amendment and a consequential amendment to other Acts.
Before we begin clause-by-clause consideration, I wanted to advise members that we do have officials from Public Safety Canada and Justice Canada who can be called to the table to answer any technical questions that members might have.
Would you like them to come to the table?
Senator Joyal: Yes.
The Chair: Officials, could you join us, please?
Senator Joyal: I have a point of order following that, Mr. Chair.
The Chair: We have Lyndon Murdock, Director, Operational and Policing Policy Directorate, Public Safety Canada; Robert Abramowitz, Counsel, Public Safety Canada; and Julie Besner, Acting Senior Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section of Justice Canada.
Point of order, Senator Joyal.
Senator Joyal: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Before we move to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-42, I would propose that the letter of the Quebec Minister of Public Security and the Quebec Minister for Canadian Intergovernmental Affairs, which we have received from the clerk of the committee in both languages, be printed in the minutes of the committee. I have copies of the letter here.
The Chair: Any objection to that? Any discussion? Agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Agreed.
Before we get to clause by clause, did you indicate you might have a question for officials, senator?
Senator Joyal: I have a question for officials from the department. Could you inform us if the department, the Minister of Public Safety, has answered the letter of the Quebec Minister of Public Security dated July 29, 2014, which is 10 months ago or so? Are you aware if there has been a formal answer sent to the Quebec Minister of Public Security in relation to the substance of Bill C-42?
Lyndon Murdock, Director, Operational and Policing Policy Directorate, Public Safety Canada: Thank you for the question. My understanding senator, as was indicated by Minister Blaney when he appeared before this committee last week, is that there has been an exchange of letters, but I have no further information on that matter.
Senator Joyal: Thank you.
The Chair: Nothing else for the officials?
Is it agreed the committee proceed to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-42?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Agreed.
Shall the title stand postponed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Agreed.
Shall clause 1, which contains the short title, stand postponed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Agreed.
Is it agreed, with leave, to consider the remaining clauses in groups of 10?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Agreed.
Shall clauses 2 to 10 carry?
Some Hon. Senators: Agreed.
An Hon. Senator: On division.
The Chair: Carried, on division.
Shall clauses 11 to 20 carry?
Some Hon. Senators: Agreed.
An Hon. Senator: On division.
The Chair: Carried, on division.
Shall clauses 21 to 30 carry?
Some Hon. Senators: Agreed.
An Hon. Senator: On division.
The Chair: Carried, on division.
Shall clauses 31 to 38 carry?
Some Hon. Senators: Agreed.
An Hon. Senator: On division.
The Chair: Carried, on division.
Shall clause 1, which contains the short title, carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Carried.
Shall the title carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Carried.
Shall the bill carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Carried. On division? On a roll call vote? All right, the clerk will carry out a roll call vote.
Shaila Anwar, Clerk of the Committee: The Honourable Senator Runciman?
Senator Runciman: Agreed.
Ms. Anwar: The Honourable Senator Baker?
Senator Baker: Agreed.
Ms. Anwar: The Honourable Senator Batters?
Senator Batters: Agreed.
Ms. Anwar: The Honourable Senator Beyak?
Senator Beyak: Agreed.
Ms. Anwar: The Honourable Senator Hervieux-Payette?
Senator Hervieux-Payette: No.
Ms. Anwar: The Honourable Senator Jaffer?
Senator Jaffer: No.
Ms. Anwar: The Honourable Senator Joyal?
Senator Joyal: No.
Ms. Anwar: The Honourable Senator McIntyre?
Senator McIntyre: Agreed.
Ms. Anwar: The Honourable Senator Plett?
Senator Plett: Agreed.
Ms. Anwar: The Honourable Senator White?
Senator White: Agreed.
Ms. Anwar: The Honourable Senator Wells?
Senator Wells: Agreed.
Ms. Anwar: The Honourable Senator LeBreton?
Senator LeBreton: Agreed. I'm representing Senator McInnis.
Ms. Anwar: Nine "yeas," three "nays."
The Chair: The bill carries.
Does the committee wish to consider appending observations to the report?
Hon. Senators: No.
The Chair: Seeing none, is it agreed that I report this bill to the Senate?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Agreed.
Just to advise you, we'll see what happens this evening and tomorrow, but we're hoping that Wednesday will be our regular meeting and we'll begin to deal with Bill C-35.
Thank you all.
(The committee adjourned.)