THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
OTTAWA, Monday, November 23, 2020
(2)
[English]
Pursuant to the order of the Senate of November 17, 2020, the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs met this day in room C128, Senate of Canada Building, and with videoconference at 10:17 a.m. (ET), the Chair, the Honourable Mobina S. B. Jaffer, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Batters and Campbell (2).
Members of the committee present by videoconference: The Honourable Senators Boisvenu, Boniface, Boyer, Carignan, P.C., Cotter, Dalphond, Dupuis, Gold, P.C., Jaffer, Keating, Petitclerc and Plett (12).
Other senators present by videoconference: The Honourable Senators Lankin, P.C., Martin, Moodie, Munson and Pate (5).
Participating in the meeting: Shaila Anwar, Deputy Principal Clerk, Joëlle Nadeau and Evelyne Côté, Procedural Clerks, Committees Directorate; Michaela Keenan-Pelletier and Julian Walker, 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 Tuesday, November 3, 2020, the committee began its examination of the subject matter of Bill C-7, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying).
APPEARING (by videoconference):
The Honourable David Lametti, P.C., M.P., Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada.
WITNESSES (by videoconference):
Department of Justice Canada:
François Daigle, Associate Deputy Minister;
Laurie Wright, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister.
Canadian Medical Association:
Dr. Sandy Buchman, Past president.
Canadian Association of MAiD Assessors and Providers:
Dr. Stefanie Green, President.
Canadian Society of Palliative Care Physicians:
Dr. Leonie Herx, Palliative Medicine Consultant, Immediate Past-President and Executive Board Member.
Inclusion Canada:
Krista Carr, Executive Vice-President.
Council of Canadians with Disabilities:
Amy E. Hasbrouck, Executive Director, Toujours Vivant-Not Dead Yet a project of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities.
The DisAbled Women's Network of Canada:
Bonnie Brayton, National Executive Director.
Canadian Mental Health Association:
Andrew Galley, National Research and Policy Analyst.
Canadian Psychiatric Association:
Dr. Grainne E. Neilson, President;
Dr. Alison Freeland, Chair, Professional Standards and Practice Committee.
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health:
Dr. Tarek Rajji, Chief of Adult Neurodevelopment and Geriatric Psychiatry, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Toronto.
Association québécoise pour le droit de mourir dans la dignité:
Dr. Georges L’Espérance, President, neurosurgeon.
Dying With Dignity Canada:
Helen Long, Chief Executive Officer;
James S. Cowan (former senator), Chair, Board of Directors.
The chair made a statement.
At 10:23 a.m., the committee suspended.
At 10:35 a.m., the committee resumed.
The minister made a statement and answered questions.
At 12:07 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 1:05 p.m., the committee resumed.
Dr. Buchman, Dr. Green and Dr. Herx made statements and answered questions.
At 2:04 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 2:09 p.m., the committee resumed.
Ms. Carr, Ms. Hasbrouck and Ms. Brayton made statements and answered questions.
At 3:02 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 4:01 p.m., the committee resumed.
Mr. Galley, Dr. Grainne and Dr. Rajji made statements and answered questions.
At 5:12 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 5:13 p.m., the committee resumed.
Dr. L’Esperance, Ms. Long and Mr. Cowan made statements and answered questions.
At 6:06 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Mark Palmer
Clerk of the committee