THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
OTTAWA, Monday, April 25, 2022
(7)
[English]
Pursuant to the order of the Senate of March 31, 2022, the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights met this day in room B30, Senate of Canada Building, and with videoconference, at 5:04 p.m. ET, the deputy chair, the Honourable Wanda Thomas Bernard, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senator Audette (1).
Members of the committee present by videoconference: The Honourable Senators Bernard, Boyer, Gerba, Hartling, Omidvar and Wells (6).
Participating in the meeting: Maxime Fortin, Principal Clerk, Sébastien Payet and Martine Willox, legislative clerks and Marc-André Lanthier, Administrative Assistant, Committees Directorate; Robert Mason and Brendan Naef, analysts, Library of Parliament; Ben Silverman, Communications Officer, Communications Directorate.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, March 3, 2022, the committee began its study on issues as may arise from time to time relating to human rights generally. (Topic: Forced and Coerced Sterilization of Persons in Canada)
WITNESSES (by videoconference):
Indigenous Services Canada:
Dr. Evan Adams, Deputy Chief Medical Officer of Public Health;
Aimie Hillier, Acting Director, Healthy Children, Youth and Families Division, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch.
Public Health Agency of Canada:
Tasha Stefanis, Associate Vice-President.
First Nations Health Authority:
Dr. Unjali Malhotra, Medical Director, Women's Health.
As individuals:
Alisa Lombard, Lawyer, Lombard Law;
Suzy Basile, Professor and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Women Issues Holder, University of Quebec in Abitibi-Temiscamingue.
Dr. Evan Adams made a statement and, together with Aimie Hillier and Tasha Stefanis, answered questions.
At 5:41 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 5:44 p.m., the committee resumed.
Dr. Unjali Malhotra, Alisa Lombard and Suzy Basile each made a statement and answered questions.
At 6:53 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Adam Thompson
Clerk of the Committee