Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Human Rights

Issue No. 4 - Minutes of Proceedings - May 4, 2016

OTTAWA, Wednesday, May 4, 2016
(9)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights met this day at 11:33 a.m., in room 9, Victoria Building, the chair, the Honourable Jim Munson, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Andreychuk, Ataullahjan, Cordy, Frum, Hubley, Martin, Munson, Nancy Ruth and Ngo (9).

Other senator present: The Honourable Senator Omidvar (1).

In attendance: Julia Nicol and Jean-Philippe Duguay, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament; Marcy Galipeau, Communications Officer.

Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Wednesday, February 3, 2016, the committee continued its study to monitor issues relating to human rights and, inter alia, to review the machinery of government dealing with Canada's international and national human rights obligations. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 3.)

WITNESSES:

Foundation for Defense of Democracies:

Mark Dubowitz, Executive Director.

As an individual:

Houchang Hassan-Yari, Professor, Political Science Department, Royal Military College of Canada (by video conference).

United Nations:

Ahmed Shaheed, PhD, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran (by video conference).

The chair made a statement.

Messrs. Dubowitz and Hassan-Yari each made a statement and answered questions.

At 12:33 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 12:40 p.m., the committee resumed.

Mr. Shaheed made a statement and answered questions.

At 1:31 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Mark Palmer

Clerk of the Committee