THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
OTTAWA, Tuesday, November 24, 2020
(3)
[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 10:03 a.m. (ET), the Chair, the Honourable Mobina S. B. Jaffer, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Batters and Boisvenu (2).
Members of the committee present by videoconference: The Honourable Senators Boyer, Carignan, P.C., Cotter, Dalphond, Dupuis, Gold, P.C., Jaffer, Keating, Martin and Petitclerc (10).
Other senators present by videoconference: The Honourable Senators Kutcher, Lankin, P.C. and Pate (3).
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 continued its examination of the subject matter of Bill C-7, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying).
WITNESSES (by videoconference):
As individuals:
Trudo Lemmens, Professor and Scholl Chair in Health Law and Policy, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto;
Jocelyn Downie, Professor, Health Law Institute, Dalhousie University.
Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention:
Sean Krausert, Executive Director.
As individuals:
Brian L. Mishara, Director, Centre for Research and Intervention on Suicide, Ethical Issues and End of Life Practices, and Professor, Psychology Department, Université du Québec à Montréal;
Mark Henick, Mental Health Advocate.
Euthanasia Prevention Coalition of Ontario:
Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director.
Canadian Nurses Association:
Michael Villeneuve, Chief Executive Officer.
College of Family Physicians of Canada:
Dr. Francine Lemire, Chief Executive Officer;
Dr. Catherine Cervin, President.
Royal College of Physician and Surgeons of Canada:
Dr. Susan Moffatt-Bruce, Chief Executive Officer.
As individuals:
Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov, Distinguished Professor, University of Manitoba;
Dr. James Downar, Head and Associate Professor, Division of Palliative Care, University of Ottawa.
Laval University:
Dr. Alain Naud, Clinical Professor, Department of Family and Emergency Medicine.
Mental Health Commission of Canada:
Dr. Patrick Baillie, Psychologist and Lawyer.
Physicians' Alliance against Euthanasia:
Dr. Catherine Ferrier, President.
As individuals:
Dr. Sephora Tang, Psychiatrist, The Ottawa Hospital, Clinical Lecturer, University of Ottawa;
Dr. Justine Dembo, Psychiatrist, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Lecturer, University of Toronto.
The chair made a statement.
Mr. Lemmens and Ms. Downie made statements and answered questions.
At 11:10 a.m., the committee suspended.
At 11:12 a.m., the committee resumed.
Mr. Krausert, Mr. Mishara, Mr. Henick and Mr. Schadenberg made statements and answered questions.
At 12:03 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 1 p.m., the committee resumed.
Mr. Villeneuve, Dr. Lemire, Dr. Cervin and Dr. Moffatt-Bruce made statements and answered questions.
At 2:09 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 2:12 p.m., the committee resumed.
Dr. Chochinov and Dr. Downar made statements and answered questions.
At 3:18 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 4:01 p.m., the committee resumed.
Dr. Naud, Dr. Baillie and Dr. Ferrier made statements and answered questions.
At 5:11 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 5:12 p.m., the committee resumed.
Dr. Tang and Dr. Dembo made statements and answered questions.
At 6:05 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Mark Palmer
Clerk of the committee