THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL SECURITY, DEFENCE AND VETERANS AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Monday, June 10, 2024
(56)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs met this day at 2 p.m., in room C128, Senate of Canada Building, the deputy chair, the Honourable Jean-Guy Dagenais, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Anderson, Boehm, Cardozo, Carignan, P.C., Dagenais, Dalphond, Dasko, Deacon (Ontario), Dean, Kutcher, Patterson, Richards and Yussuff (13).

Other senators present: The Honourable Senators Housakos, Miville-Dechêne, Simons, Woo and Lankin, P.C. (5).

Participating in the meeting: Andrea Mugny, Acting Co-clerk of the Committee, Martine Willox and Maya D. Zeinali, Legislative Clerks, Committees Directorate; Ariel Shapiro and Anne-Marie Therrien-Tremblay, analysts, Library of Parliament.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, the committee began its consideration of the subject matter of Bill C-70, An Act respecting countering foreign interference.

WITNESSES:

Democracy Watch:

Duff Conacher, Co-Founder (by videoconference).

Canadian Civil Liberties Association:

Shakir Rahim, Director, Criminal Justice Program (by videoconference);

Anaïs Bussières McNicoll, Director of the Fundamental Freedoms Program and Interim Director of the Privacy Program (by videoconference).

Hong Kong Watch:

Katherine Leung, Policy Advisor (by videoconference).

National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians:

The Honourable David McGuinty, P.C., M.P., Chair;

The Honourable Senator Frances Lankin, P.C., Member;

Alex Ruff, Member of Parliament, Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, Member.

Secretariat of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians:

Lisa-Marie Inman, Executive Director.

As individuals:

Michael Kempa, Professor, Criminology department, University of Ottawa.

Wesley Wark, Senior Fellow, Centre for International Governance Innovation.

Michelle Tessier, Senior Fellow, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa (by videoconference);

Richard Fadden, Former National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada and Former Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service;

Daniel Stanton, Former Intelligence Officer, Canadian Security Intelligence Service;

Balpreet Singh Boparai, Legal Counsel, World Sikh Organization of Canada (by videoconference);

Sherap Therchin, Executive Director, Canada Tibet Committee;

Mehmet Tohti, Executive Director, Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project.

Michael Kempa made a statement.

At 2:09 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 2:10 p.m., the committee resumed.

Michael Kempa and Wesley Wark each made a statement and answered questions.

At 3:04 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 3:13 p.m., the committee resumed.

Richard Fadden, Daniel Stanton, Michelle Tessier and Duff Conacher each made a statement and answered questions.

At 4:14 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 4:24 p.m., the committee resumed.

Shakir Rahim, Anaïs Bussières McNicoll and Balpreet Singh Boparai made statements and answered questions.

At 5 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 5:32 p.m., the committee resumed.

Mehmet Tohti, Sherap Therchin and Katherine Leung each made a statement and answered questions.

At 6:31 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 7 p.m., the committee resumed.

The Honourable David McGuinty, P.C. made a statement and, together with the Honourable Senator Frances Lankin, P.C., Alex Ruff and Lisa-Marie Inman, answered questions.

At 8:35 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Karine Déquier

Acting Clerk of the Committee