Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Human Rights

Issue No. 10 - Minutes of Proceedings - October 19, 2016

OTTAWA, Wednesday, October 19, 2016
(19)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights met this day at 11:13 a.m., in room 2, Victoria Building, the chair, the Honourable Jim Munson, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Andreychuk, Ataullahjan, Gagné, Hubley, Munson, Nancy Ruth, Ngo, Omidvar and Poirier (9).

In attendance: Jean-Philippe Duguay and Erin Shaw, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament.

Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, April 14, 2016, the committee continued its study on the steps being taken to facilitate the integration of newly-arrived Syrian refugees and to address the challenges they are facing, including by the various levels of government, private sponsors and non-governmental organizations. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 4.)

WITNESSES:

Ottawa Centre Refugee Action:

Angela Keller-Herzog, Core Organizer;

Catherine Fleming, Outreach.

MOSAIC:

Saleem Spindari, Manager, Refugee Settlement Support Projects, Family and Settlement Services.

Ottawa Centre Refugee Settlement Group:

Andrew Harvey.

United Church of Canada:

Reverend Brian Cornelius, Chair of the Finance Committee, First United Church.

As an individual:

Dr. Asmat Khan.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada:

Dawn Edlund, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations;

Ümit Kiziltan, Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic and Program Policy;

Corinne Prince St-Amand, Director General, Integration-Foreign Credentials Referral Office;

Bruce Grundison, Senior Director.

The chair made a statement.

Mr. Spindari, Mr. Harvey, Reverend Cornelius and Dr. Khan each made a statement and answered questions.

At 12:35 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 12:43 p.m., the committee resumed.

Ms. Edlund made a statement and, with Mr. Kiziltan, Ms. St-Amand and Mr. Grundison, answered questions.

At 1:44 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Mark Palmer

Clerk of the Committee