THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Thursday, February 8, 2024
(89)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs met this day at 11:45 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, Clement, Cotter, Dalphond, Jaffer, Klyne, Pate, Prosper and Simons (9).

Other senators present: The Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C. (1).

Participating in the meeting: Aoife Mc Donald, Administrative Assistant, Committees Directorate; Michaela Keenan-Pelletier, Analyst, Library of Parliament.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, November 3, 2022, the committee continued its consideration of Bill S-230, An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act.

WITNESSES:

Canadian Association of Black Lawyers:

Kyle Elliott, President;

Theresa Donkor, Member, Criminal Justice and Police Reform Committee.

Philippe-Pinel National Institute of Forensic Psychiatry:

Dr. Mathieu Dufour, Forensic Psychiatrist, Head of the Department of Psychiatry (by videoconference).

Canadian Mental Health Association:

Margaret Eaton, National Chief Executive Officer (by videoconference).

St. Leonard's Society of Canada:

Anita Desai, Executive Director;

Danielle Kouri, Outreach Coordinator.

As an individual:

Michael Jackson, Emeritus Professor of Law, Peter A. Allard School of Law, University of British Columbia (by videoconference).

Kyle Elliott, Theresa Donkor and Michael Jackson each made a statement and answered questions.

At 12:44 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 12:48 p.m., the committee resumed.

Mathieu Dufour, Margaret Eaton and Anita Desai each made a statement and answered questions.

At 1:43 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Vincent Labrosse

Clerk of the Committee