Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Human Rights
Issue 11 - Minutes of Proceedings - September 25, 2014
OTTAWA, Thursday, September 25, 2014
(17)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights met this day at 8:05 a.m. in room 9, Victoria Building, the chair, the Honourable Mobina S. B. Jaffer, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Andreychuk, Eaton, Eggleton, P.C., Jaffer, Nancy Ruth, Ngo and Tannas (7).
In attendance: Mark Palmer, Acting Procedural Clerk; Julia Nicol, Jean-Philippe Duguay and Shauna Troniak, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament.
Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, February 27, 2014, the committee continued its study of the international mechanisms toward improving cooperation in the settlement of cross-border family disputes, including Canada's actions to encourage universal adherence to and compliance with the Hague Abductions Convention, and to strengthen cooperation with non-Hague State Parties with the purpose of upholding children's best interests. (For the complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 3.)
WITNESSES:
As an individual:
Mandeep Gill, Associate, International Family Law Group, LLP (by video conference).
Reunite International Child Abduction Centre:
Alison Shalaby, Chief Executive Officer (by video conference);
Anne-Marie Hutchinson, Chair (by video conference).
International Social Service:
Hervé Boéchat, Deputy Secretary General, and Director, International Reference Centre for Children Deprived of Family (by video conference).
The chair made a statement.
Ms. Gill and Ms. Shalaby each made a statement and, together with Ms. Hutchinson, answered questions.
At 9:03 a.m., the committee suspended.
At 9:09 a.m., the committee resumed.
Mr. Boéchat made a statement and answered questions.
At 9:41 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Adam Thompson
Clerk of the Committee