Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
National Security and Defence

Issue No. 37 - Minutes of Proceedings - February 25, 2019

OTTAWA, Monday, February 25, 2019
(68)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence met this day at 11:02 a.m., in room W110, 1 Wellington St., the chair, the Honourable Gwen Boniface, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Boisvenu, Boniface, Dagenais, Griffin, Jaffer, Kutcher, McIntyre, McPhedran, Oh, Plett, Pratte and Richards (12).

Other senators present: The Honourable Senators Dean, Gold and Miville-Dechêne (3).

Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, December 11, 2018, the committee continued its consideration of Bill C-71, An Act to amend certain Acts and Regulations in relation to firearms. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 36.)

WITNESSES:

Groupe des étudiants et diplômés de Polytechnique pour le contrôle des armes (Polysesouvient):

Heidi Rathjen, Coordinator;

Nathalie Provost, Spokesperson.

Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City:

Boufeldja Benabdallah, President and Co-Founder.

Canadian Paediatric Society:

Dr. Natasha Saunders, Physician, Hospital for Sick Children.

NOT HERE:

Wendy Vasquez, Spokesperson.

Silverdale Gun Club:

Dave Partanen, Spokesperson.

Toronto Firearm Safety Services:

Marty Kerluck, Owner.

Association québécoise de prévention du suicide:

Jérôme Gaudreault, Director General.

Coalition for Gun Control:

Dr. Barbara Kane, Psychiatrist.

As individuals:

Gary Mauser, Professor Emeritus, Simon Fraser University.

Caillin Langmann, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, McMaster University.

Irwin M. Cohen, Director, Centre for Public Safety and Criminal Justice Research, University of the Fraser Valley (by video conference).

Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association:

Wes Winkel, President;

Alison de Groot, Director.

Firearms Outlet Canada:

Adam Caruana, Director.

Wolverine Supplies:

Matthew Hipwell.

As individuals:

Jooyoung Lee, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Toronto;

Brian Mishara, Professor, Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal.

The chair made a statement.

Ms. Pronovost, Ms. Rathjen, Dr. Saunders, Ms. Vasquez and Mr. Benandallah made statements and answered questions.

At 12:20 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 12:25 p.m., the committee resumed.

Mr. Partanen and Mr. Kerluck made statements and answered questions.

At 1:26 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 1:33 p.m., the committee resumed.

Dr. Kane and Mr. Gaudreault made statements and answered questions.

At 2:20 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 2:48 p.m., the committee resumed.

Mr. Cohen, Dr. Langmann and Mr. Mauser made statements and answered questions.

At 4:03 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 4:08 p.m., the committee resumed.

At 4:08 p.m., the deputy chair, the Honourable Senator Jean-Guy Dagenais, took the chair.

Ms. de Groot, Mr. Winkel, Mr. Caruana and Mr. Hipwell made statements and answered questions.

At 5:22 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 5:27 p.m., the committee resumed.

Mr. Lee and Mr. Mishara made a statement and answered questions.

It was moved by Senator Boniface that the committee proceed in camera.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

At 6:15 p.m., pursuant to rule 12-16(1)(d), the committee resumed in camera to consider a draft agenda.

At 6:18 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Mark Palmer
Clerk of the Committee