THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Thursday, May 4, 2023
(55)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs met this day at 11:30 a.m., in room W120, 1 Wellington St., the deputy chair, the Honourable Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Batters, Boisvenu, Clement, Dalphond, Dupuis, Jaffer, Klyne, Patterson (Nunavut) and Simons (9).

Participating in the meeting: Aoife Mc Donald, 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, March 9, 2023, the committee continued its consideration of Bill C-9, An Act to amend the Judges Act.

WITNESSES:

Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs:

Marc A. Giroux, Commissioner.

Canadian Judicial Council:

Jacqueline Corado, Director and General Counsel.

Marc A. Giroux and Jacqueline Corado each made a statement and answered questions.

At 12:31 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 12:34 p.m., the committee resumed.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, April 27, 2023, the committee continued its consideration of the subject matter of those elements contained in Divisions 30, 31, 34 and 39 of Part 4, and in Subdivision B of Division 3 of Part 4 of Bill C-47, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023. (Topic: Elements of Part 4, Division 34)

WITNESSES:

Department of Finance Canada:

Mark Radley, Acting Director, Consumer Affairs;

Tanjana Islam, Analyst/Economist.

Department of Justice Canada:

Matthew Taylor, General Counsel and Director, Criminal Law Policy Section;

Kenyatta Hawthorne, Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section (by videoconference).

Mark Radley made a statement and, together with Tanjana Islam, Matthew Taylor and Kenyatta Hawthorne, answered questions.

At 1:32 p.m., pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, March 9, 2023, the committee continued its consideration of Bill C-9, An Act to amend the Judges Act.

The committee discussed a draft agenda (future business).

After debate, it was agreed to move to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-9, An Act to amend the Judges Act at the next meeting of the committee. 

At 1:44 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Mark Palmer

Clerk of the Committee