THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Friday, June 3, 2022
(12)

[English]

Pursuant to the order of the Senate of May 5, 2022, the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade met this day in room B30, Senate of Canada Building, and with videoconference, at 10:30 a.m. ET, the chair, the Honourable Peter M. Boehm, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Boehm and Harder, P.C. (2).

Members of the committee present by videoconference: The Honourable Senators Boniface, Coyle, Deacon (Ontario), Gerba, MacDonald, Omidvar, Richards and Woo (8).

Participating in the meeting: Sara Gajic, Legislative Clerk and Maritza Jean-Pierre, Administrative Assistant, Committees Directorate; Nadia Faucher, Brian Hermon, Brendan Naef and Madalina Chesoi, analysts, Library of Parliament.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, May 19, 2022, the committee began its consideration of Bill S-8, An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, to make consequential amendments to other Acts and to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.

WITNESSES (by videoconference):

Canada Border Services Agency:

Richard St Marseille, Director General, Immigration and External Review Policy;

Scott Nesbitt, General Counsel, Department of Justice, CBSA Legal Services Unit.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada:

Helen Robertson, Director, Admissibility;

Sean McNair, Director, Integrity Risk Management;

Mark Henry, Acting Director, Refugee Affairs.

Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada:

Gregory Kipling, Deputy Chairperson, Immigration Division;

Julie Wellington, Senior General Counsel.

Global Affairs Canada:

Andrew Turner, Director, Eastern Europe and Eurasia Bilateral Relations;

Stephen Burridge, Director, Sanctions Policy and Operations Coordination.

As individuals:

Mario D. Bellissimo, Lawyer, Bellissimo Law Group;

Andrea Charron, Director, Centre for Defence and Security Studies, University of Manitoba.

Richard St Marseille made a statement and, together with Helen Robertson, Gregory Kipling, Mark Henry, Andrew Turner and Stephen Burridge, answered questions.

Mario D. Bellissimo and Andrea Charron each made a statement and answered questions.

At 11:43 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Gaëtane Lemay

Clerk of the Committee