Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
National Security and Defence
Issue No. 35 - Minutes of Proceedings - December 3, 2018
OTTAWA, Monday, December 3, 2018
(65)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence met this day at 3:01 p.m., in room 2, Victoria Building, the chair, the Honourable Gwen Boniface, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Boniface, Coyle, Dagenais, Gold, Griffin, McIntyre, Miville-Dechêne, Oh, Plett and Richards (10).
In attendance: Christina Yeung and Tanya Dupuis, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament; Stav Nikta, Communications Officer, Senate Communications Directorate.
Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, October 23, 2018, the committee continued its consideration of Bill C-21, An Act to amend the Customs Act. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 32.)
WITNESSES:
Canada Border Services Agency:
Andrew Lawrence, Acting Director, Traveller Programs.
Employment and Social Development Canada:
Jeremy Sales, Director General, Integrity Strategic Directions, Integrity Services Branch, Service Canada.
Canada Revenue Agency:
Adnan Khan, Director, Assessment Verification Division, Collections and Verification Branch.
The chair made a statement.
It was agreed that the committee proceed to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-21, An Act to amend the Customs Act.
Officials answered questions from time to time.
It was agreed that the title stand postponed.
It was agreed that the preamble stand postponed.
It was agreed that clause 1 carry.
The chair asked whether clause 2 shall carry.
The Honourable Senator Griffin moved:
That Bill C-21 be amended, on page 3, in clause 2, by replacing line 4, with the following:
"The Governor in Council, following consultation with the Privacy Commissioner, may make regulations for''.
After debate, the question being put on the motion in amendment, it was negatived.
The Honourable Senator Coyle moved:
That Bill C-21 be amended, on page 3, in clause 2, by replacing line 18 with the following:
"collected under sections 92 and 93 shall be retained by the Agency for a period of not more than 15''.
After debate, the question being put on the motion in amendment, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Griffin moved:
That Bill C-21 be amended, on page 3, in clause 2, by adding the following after line 25:
"94.1 (1) The Minister shall annually prepare a report on the administration of sections 92 to 94 during the period beginning on April 1 of the previous year and ending on March 31 of the current year.
(2) The report shall include data on the information collected under sections 92 and 93, on the preservation of this information and on the measures and procedures to protect the personal information collected under these sections and it shall take note of any breach of the computer security safeguards relating to this information and any problems with the management of the computer system on which this information is stored.
(3) The Minister shall cause the report to be tabled before each House of Parliament within the first fifteen days on which that House is sitting after September 1 of the year in which the report is completed.''
After debate, the question being put on the motion in amendment, it was negatived.
It was agreed that clause 2, as amended, carry.
It was agreed that clause 3 carry.
It was agreed that clause 4 carry.
It was agreed that clause 5 carry.
It was agreed that clause 6 carry.
It was agreed that clause 7 carry.
It was agreed that clause 8 carry.
It was agreed that clause 9 carry.
It was agreed that the title carry.
It was agreed that the bill, as amended, carry.
After debate, it was agreed that observations be appended to the committee's report on the bill.
It was agreed that the chair report Bill C-21 with an amendment and with observations to the Senate, at the earliest opportunity.
At 3:46 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Mark Palmer
Clerk of the Committee