Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Legal and Constitutional Affairs

Issue No. 64 - Minutes of Proceedings - June 5, 2019

OTTAWA, Wednesday, June 5, 2019
(150)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs met this day at 2:33 p.m., in room W120, 1 Wellington St., the chair, the Honourable Serge Joyal, P.C., presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Batters, Boisvenu, Boniface, Dalphond, Dupuis, Frum, Gold, Housakos, Joyal, P.C. and McIntyre (10).

Other senators present: The Honourable Senators Dasko and Pate (2).

In attendance: Julian Walker, Maxime Charron-Tousignant and Nicole Sweeney, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament.

Also present: The official stenographers of the Senate.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, April 11, 2019, the committee began its consideration of Bill C-78, An Act to amend the Divorce Act, the Family Orders and Agreements Enforcement Assistance Act and the Garnishment, Attachment and Pension Diversion Act and to make consequential amendments to another Act.

APPEARING:

The Honourable David Lametti, P.C., M.P., Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada.

WITNESSES:

Department of Justice Canada:

François A. Daigle, Associate Deputy Minister;

Laurie Wright, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister;

Elissa Lieff, Senior General Counsel;

Claire Farid, Senior Counsel and Manager;

Andina Van Isschot, Acting Senior Counsel and Coordinator.

Canadian Bar Association:

Gaylene Schellenberg, Lawyer, Advocacy;

Melanie Del Rizzo, Chair, Family Law Section.

Barreau du Québec:

Valérie Laberge, Member of the Family Law Committee;

Nicolas Le Grand Alary, Lawyer, Secretariat of the Order and Legal Affairs.

Chambre des notaires du Québec:

Serge Bernier, Vice President;

Antoine Fafard, Notary, Legal Services and Institutional Relations.

Ontario Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts:

Nicholas Bala, Professor, Faculty of Law, Queen's University.

As an individual:

Linda C. Neilson, Professor Emerita, University of New Brunswick (by video conference).

The chair made a statement.

The minister made a statement and, together with Ms. Wright and Mr. Daigle, answered questions.

At 3:39 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 3:44 p.m., the committee resumed.

Ms. Lieff, Ms. Farid and Ms. Van Isschot, answered questions.

At 4:23 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 4:29 p.m., the committee resumed.

Ms. Schellenberg, Ms. Del Rizzo, Mr. Le Grand Alary, Ms. Laberge and Mr. Pelletier each made a statement and, together with Mr. Fafard, answered questions.

At 5:36 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 5:43 p.m., the committee resumed.

Mr. Bala and Ms. Neilson each made a statement and answered questions.

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

ATTEST:

Keli Hogan
Clerk of the Committee