THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Thursday, December 8, 2022
(37)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs met this day at 11:31 a.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 Batters, Boisvenu, Busson, Clement, Cotter, Dalphond, Dupuis, Jaffer and Pate (9).

Participating in the meeting: Annie Trudel, Administrative Assistant, Committees Directorate; Julian Walker and Michaela Keenan-Pelletier, analysts, Library of Parliament.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, June 23, 2022, the committee continued its examination on the matter of self-induced intoxication, including self-induced extreme intoxication, in the context of criminal law, including in relation to section 33.1 of the Criminal Code.

WITNESSES:

Canadian Council of Criminal Defence Lawyers:

Richard Fowler, Board Member, Representative for Vancouver, British Columbia (by videoconference).

National Association of Women and the Law:

Suzanne Zaccour, Head of Feminist Law Reform.

As individuals:

Hugues Parent, Full Professor, University of Montreal (by videoconference).

Michelle S. Lawrence, Associate Professor and Director, Access to Justice Centre for Excellence, University of Victoria (by videoconference).

Richard Fowler and Hugues Parent each made a statement and answered questions.

At 12:32 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 12:35 p.m., the committee resumed.

Michelle S. Lawrence and Suzanne Zaccour each made a statement and answered questions.

At 1:33 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Mark Palmer

Clerk of the Committee