THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Wednesday, April 21, 2021
(17)

[English]

Pursuant to the order of the Senate of March 30, 2021, the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs met this day by videoconference at 4 p.m. [ET], the chair, the Honourable Mobina S. B. Jaffer, presiding. This meeting is considered to have taken place in the parliamentary precinct.

Members of the committee present by videoconference: The Honourable Senators Batters, Boisvenu, Boyer, Campbell, Carignan, P.C., Cotter, Dalphond, Dupuis, Jaffer, Keating and Pate (11).

Other senators present by videoconference: The Honourable Senator Miville-Dechêne (1).

Participating in the meeting: Joëlle Nadeau, Procedural Clerk, Committees Directorate; Julian Walker and Michaela Keenan-Pelletier, 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 Tuesday, March 16, 2021, the committee began its examination of Bill S-203, An Act to restrict young persons’ online access to sexually explicit material.

WITNESSES (by videoconference):

The Honourable Senator Julie Miville-Dechêne, sponsor of the bill.

18North:

Murray Perkins, Consultant, Media Regulation and Age-Verification.

As individuals:

Dr. Megan Harrison, Pediatrician and Adolescent Health Physician, CHEO;

Jacqueline Gahagan, Professor, Health Promotion, Dalhousie University.

Culture Reframed:

Dr. Gail Dines.

Connecting to Protect:

Dr. Jocelyn Monsma Selby, Co-Chair, Global Summit.

The chair made a statement.

The Honourable Senator Miville-Dechêne, Mr. Perkins, Dr. Harrison, Dr. Dines, Dr. Monsma Selby and Ms. Gahagan each made a statement and answered questions.

At 4:57 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 5 p.m., the committee resumed.

At 5:54 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Mark Palmer

Clerk of the Committee