Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Human Rights
Issue No. 32 - Minutes of Proceedings - August 11, 2018
ABBOTSFORD, Saturday, August 11, 2018
(67)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights met this day at 6:05 p.m., in the Conference Centre, Best Western Plus Regency Inn, the deputy chair, the Honourable Salma Ataullahjan, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Ataullahjan, Cordy and Pate (3).
In attendance: Maxime Charron-Tousignant and Dominique Montpetit, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament; Sarah Dea, Communications Officer, Senate Communications Directorate.
Also present: The official reporter of the Senate.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, December 15, 2016, the committee continued its study on the issues relating to the human rights of prisoners in the correctional system. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 14.)
WITNESSES:
As individuals:
Wendy Bariteau;
Renee Acoby;
Aaron Devor, Founder and Inaugural Chair in Transgender Studies; Founder and Academic Director of the Transgender Archives; Professor of Sociology, University of Victoria;
Seamus Heffernan, Manager, Office of Jati Sidhu, M.P. for Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon;
Kenneth Peterson;
Eddie Rouse;
Marian Zadra;
Alia Pierini.
West Coast Prison Justice Society:
Jennifer Metcalfe, Prisoners' Legal Services.
Correctional Service Canada Regional Ethnocultural Advisory Committee:
Siu Man (Sherman) Chan, Co-Chair.
B.C. Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition:
Dylan Cohen.
South Asian Bar Association of British Columbia:
Rubinder Dhanu, Lawyer, Dhanu Dhaliwal Law Group.
Collaborating Centre for Prison Health and Education:
Alison Granger-Brown, Independent Co-Investigator.
Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies:
Gillian Gough, Regional Advocate.
The chair made a statement.
It was agreed that photography and filming be authorized during this meeting.
Ms. Bariteau, Ms. Acoby, and Ms. Metcalfe made statements and answered questions.
At 7:18 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 7:23 p.m., the committee resumed.
Mr. Chan, Mr. Cohen, and Mr. Dhanu made statements and answered questions.
At 8:17 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 8:24 p.m., the committee resumed.
Mr. Devor, Mr. Heffernan, Ms. Granger-Brown, and Ms. Gough made statements and answered questions.
At 9:26 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 9:35 p.m., the committee resumed.
The committee invited the public to make statements in a town hall format.
Mr. Peterson, Ms. Pierini, Mr. Rouse, Ms. Zadra, and Ms. Acoby made statements and answered questions.
At 10:16 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Joëlle Nadeau
Clerk of the Committee