THE STANDING SENATE COMMIMTTEE ON LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Wednesday, March 20, 2024
(92)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs met this day at 4:17 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 Batters, Boyer, Clement, Cotter, Dalphond, Jaffer, Klyne, Pate, Prosper, Simons and Tannas (11).

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

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, April 20, 2023, the committee continued its consideration of Bill S-250, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (sterilization procedures).

WITNESSES:

Indigenous Services Canada:

Dr. Tom Wong, Chief Medical Officer, Chief Science Officer and Director General, Office of Population and Public Health, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch;

Laura Mitchell, Director, Healthy Children, Youth and Families Division, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch.

Department of Justice Canada:

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

Morna Boyle, Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section.

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada:

Dr. Diane Francoeur, Chief Executive Officer;

Dr. Jocelynn Cook, Chief Scientific Officer.

First Nations Health Authority:

Dr. Unjali Malhotra, Medical Officer, Women’s Health, Office of the Chief Medical Officer (by videoconference).

National Council of Indigenous Midwives:

Ellen Blais, Executive Director;

Claire Dion Fletcher, Vice-President, Canadian Association of Midwives and Core Leadership Member.

Tom Wong, Laura Mitchell, Matthew Taylor and Morna Boyle each answered questions.

At 5:14 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 5:19 p.m., the committee resumed.

Unjali Malhotra, Diane Francoeur, Ellen Blais and Claire Dion Fletcher each made a statement and, together with Jocelynn Cook, answered questions.

At 6:20 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Vincent Labrosse

Clerk of the Committee