Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Legal and Constitutional Affairs

Issue No. 9 -  Minutes of Proceedings - May 11, 2016

OTTAWA, Wednesday, May 11, 2016
(21)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs met this day at 2:17 p.m., in room 257, East Block, the chair, the Honourable Bob Runciman, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Baker, P.C., Batters, Boisvenu, Cowan, Dagenais, Frum, Jaffer, Joyal, P.C., McIntyre, Plett, Runciman and White (12).

Other senators present: The Honourable Senators Bellemare, Lankin, P.C., Marshall and Omidvar (4).

In attendance: Maxime Charron-Tousignant and Julia Nicol, 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 Wednesday, April 20, 2016, the committee continued its examination of the subject matter of Bill C-14, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make related amendments to other Acts (medical assistance in dying). (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceeding of the committee, Issue No. 8.)

WITNESSES:

Provincial-Territorial Expert Advisory Group on Physician-Assisted Dying:

Jennifer Gibson, Co-Chair;

Maureen Taylor, Co-Chair.

Canadian Psychiatric Association:

Dr. K. Sonu Gaind, President (by video conference).

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health:

Dr. Tarek Rajji, Chief of Geriatric Psychiatry.

As individuals:

Dr. Padraic E. Carr;

Dr. Linda Ganzini (by video conference);

Dr. Derryck Smith, Clinical Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia (by video conference);

Dr. Scott Kim, Adjunct Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan (by video conference).

Mental Health Commission of Canada:

Patrick Baillie, Psychologist, Alberta Health Services.

Canadian Unitarian Council:

Vyda Ng, Executive Director.

Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs:

Richard Marceau, General Counsel and Senior Government Advisor.

Coalition for HealthCARE and Conscience:

Laurence Worthen, Executive Director, Christian Medical and Dental Society of Canada;

Dr. Sephora Tang, Psychiatrist, The Ottawa Hospital.

Canadian Council of Imams:

          Sikander Hashmi, Spokesperson.

The chair made a statement.

Ms. Taylor and Ms. Gibson each made a statement and, together, answered questions.

At 3:12 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 3:15 p.m., the committee resumed.

Dr. Gaind, Dr. Ganzini, Dr. Rajji and Dr. Carr each made a statement and, together, answered questions.

At 4:15 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 4:33 p.m., the committee resumed.

Dr. Smith, Dr. Kim and Mr. Baillie each made a statement and, together, answered questions.

At 5:30 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 5:35 p.m., the committee resumed.

Mr. Worthen, Mr. Hashmi, Mr. Marceau, and Mr. Ng each made a statement and, together with Dr. Tang, answered questions.

At 6:31 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Jessica Richardson

Clerk of the Committee