THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Wednesday, May 29, 2024
(104)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs met this day at 4:15 p.m., in room B30, Senate of Canada Building, the chair, the Honourable Mobina S. B. Jaffer, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Audette, Batters, Carignan, P.C., Clement, Cotter, Dalphond, Greenwood, Jaffer, Pate, Prosper, Simons and Tannas (12).

Participating in the meeting: Iryna Zazulya and Michaela Keenan-Pelletier, analysts, Library of Parliament.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, May 9, 2024, the committee began its consideration of the subject matter of those elements contained in Divisions 29, 30, 35, 36, 43 and 44 of Part 4, and in Subdivisions B and C of Division 34 of Part 4 of Bill C-69, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 16, 2024.

APPEARING:

The Honourable Arif Virani, P.C., M.P., Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada.

WITNESSES:

Department of Justice Canada:

Shalene Curtis-Micallef, Deputy Minister and Deputy Attorney General of Canada;

Sandro Giammaria, Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section;

Anna Dekker, Senior Counsel and Deputy Director, Judicial Affairs Section;

Erin Cassidy, Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section;

Kenyatta Hawthorne, Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section;

Daniel Bourgeois, Senior General Counsel, Tax Law Services Portfolio;

Joanna Wells, Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section;

Marie-Josée Poirier, Counsel, Judicial Affairs Section.

Department of Finance Canada:

Erin Hunt, Director General, Financial Crimes and Security Division;

Justin Brown, Senior Director, Financial Crimes Policy.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada:

Marc-André Rochon, Acting Director General, Spectrum Management Operations Branch, Spectrum and Telecommunications Sector;

Amy Jensen, Director, Spectrum Management Operations Directorate, Spectrum and Telecommunications Sector.

Health Canada:

Jennifer Pelley, Director, Office of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs, Controlled Substances and Opioid Response Directorate, Controlled Substances and Cannabis Branch.

The minister made a statement and answered questions.

At 5:15 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 5:22 p.m., the committee resumed.

Erin Hunt, Marc-André Rochon, Erin Cassidy, Daniel Bourgeois, Anna Dekker, Marie-Josée Poirier, Sandro Giammaria and Jennifer Pelley each made a statement and answered questions.

At 6:16 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Vincent Labrosse

Clerk of the Committee