THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Monday, December 5, 2022
(28)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights met this day at 4:05 p.m., in room B45, Senate of Canada Building, the chair, the Honourable Salma Ataullahjan, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Ataullahjan, Audette, Hartling, Manning, Omidvar and Pate (6).

Other senators present: The Honourable Senators McPhedran and Miville-Dechêne (2).

Participating in the meeting: Barbara Reynolds, Procedural Clerk, Committees Directorate; Robert Mason and Brendan Naef, analysts, Library of Parliament; Amely Coulombe, Communications Officer, Communications Directorate.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, March 3, 2022, the committee began its study of such issues as may arise from time to time relating to human rights generally. (Topic: Canada‘s Restrictions on Humanitarian Aid to Afghanistan)

WITNESSES:

World Vision Canada:

Martin Fischer, Head of Policy.

Canadian Red Cross:

Amy Avis, General Counsel (by videoconference).

Afghan Women's Organization Refugee and Immigrant Services:

Asma Faizi, President (by videoconference);

Adeena Niazi, Executive Director (by videoconference).

Department of Justice Canada:

Robert Brookfield, Director General and Senior General Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section;

Glenn Gilmour, Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section.

Public Safety Canada:

Sébastien Aubertin-Giguère, Acting Assistant Deputy Minister.

Global Affairs Canada:

Nancy Segal, Acting Director, Crime and Terrorism Policy Division;

Marie-Louise Hannan, Director General, South Asia.

As individuals:

Sujit Choudhry, Head of Chambers, Haki Chambers Global (by videoconference).

Kent Roach, Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto (by videoconference).

Sujit Choudhry and Kent Roach each made a statement and answered questions.

At 4:51 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 4:55 p.m., the committee resumed.

Martin Fischer, Amy Avis, Adeena Niazi and Asma Faizi each made a statement and answered questions.

At 5:52 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 5:58 p.m., the committee resumed.

Sébastien Aubertin-Giguère made a statement and, together with Robert Brookfield, Glenn Gilmour, Nancy Segal and Marie-Louise Hannan, answered questions.

At 6:59 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 7:04 p.m., pursuant to rule 12-16(1)(d), the committee resumed in camera to consider a draft agenda (future business).

It was agreed that the committee allow the transcription of the in camera portion of today’s meeting, that one copy be kept with the clerk of the committee for consultation by committee members or by the committee analysts, and that the transcript be destroyed by the clerk when authorized to do so by the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure but no later than the end of this parliamentary session.

At 7:29 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Sébastien Payet

Clerk of the Committee