Studies & Bills

Orders of Reference

An order of reference is a decision of the Senate authorizing a committee to undertake the study of an issue, bill or other matter. Most committees require an order of reference before they can undertake such work. However, three committees are empowered by the Rules of the Senate to act on their own initiative without a prior order of reference from the Senate. These are the Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament; the Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration; and the Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators.

Studies & Bills	Order of Reference	Session	note	note
Bill C-92, An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families	2019-06-10	42-1
Show/Hide the list of witnesses Wednesday, June 12, 2019 at 12:02 PM Suzie Bérard, Counsel, Legal Services (Canadian Heritage) Isa Gros-Louis, Director General, Child and Family Services Reform (Indigenous Services Canada) Hélène Laurendeau, Deputy Minister (Canadian Heritage) Marcus Léonard, Social Policy Researcher, Child and Family Services Reform (Indigenous Services Canada) Michelle Smith, General Cousel, Director (Department of Justice Canada) Mélanie Théberge, Policy and Research Manager, Indigenous Languages Legislation, Citizenship, Heritage and Regions Sector (Canadian Heritage)
Bill C-91, An Act respecting Indigenous languages	2019-05-27	42-1
Show/Hide the list of witnesses Wednesday, June 12, 2019 at 12:02 PM Suzie Bérard, Counsel, Legal Services (Canadian Heritage) Isa Gros-Louis, Director General, Child and Family Services Reform (Indigenous Services Canada) Hélène Laurendeau, Deputy Minister (Canadian Heritage) Marcus Léonard, Social Policy Researcher, Child and Family Services Reform (Indigenous Services Canada) Michelle Smith, General Cousel, Director (Department of Justice Canada) Mélanie Théberge, Policy and Research Manager, Indigenous Languages Legislation, Citizenship, Heritage and Regions Sector (Canadian Heritage) Tuesday, June 4, 2019 at 3:33 PM Tuesday, May 28, 2019 at 8:02 AM The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, P.C., M.P, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism (Canadian Heritage) Stephen Gagnon, Federal Representative, Indigenous Languages Legislation, Citizenship, Heritage and Regions Sector (Canadian Heritage) Hélène Laurendeau, Deputy Minister (Canadian Heritage) Wilton Littlechild, Grand Chief, Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations (As an Individual) Me Koren Marriott, Legal Counsel (Department of Justice Canada) Ross Pattee, Assistant Deputy Minister, Implementation Sector (Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada) Romeo Saganash, Member of Parliament for Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, Sponsor of the bill (As an Individual) Laurie Sargent, Assistant Deputy Minister, Aboriginal Affairs Portfolio (Department of Justice Canada) The Honourable Senator Murray Sinclair, Senator (As an Individual) Joe Wild, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Treaties and Aboriginal Government Sector (Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada)
Bill C-262, An Act to ensure that the laws of Canada are in harmony with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples	2019-05-16	42-1
Show/Hide the list of witnesses Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at 9:00 AM Tuesday, June 4, 2019 at 9:00 AM Grand Chief Edward John, Political Executive Member (First Nations Summit) Dwight Newman, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Rights in Constitutional and International Law, University of Saskatchewan (As an Individual) Wednesday, May 29, 2019 at 6:46 PM Mauro Barelli, Senior Lecturer, City Law School, University of London (As an Individual) John Borrows, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Law, , University of Victoria (As an Individual) Paul Joffe, Legal Counsel, Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee) (As an Individual) Joshua Nichols, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Alberta (As an Individual) Tuesday, May 28, 2019 at 8:02 AM The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, P.C., M.P, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism (Canadian Heritage) Stephen Gagnon, Federal Representative, Indigenous Languages Legislation, Citizenship, Heritage and Regions Sector (Canadian Heritage) Hélène Laurendeau, Deputy Minister (Canadian Heritage) Wilton Littlechild, Grand Chief, Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations (As an Individual) Me Koren Marriott, Legal Counsel (Department of Justice Canada) Ross Pattee, Assistant Deputy Minister, Implementation Sector (Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada) Romeo Saganash, Member of Parliament for Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, Sponsor of the bill (As an Individual) Laurie Sargent, Assistant Deputy Minister, Aboriginal Affairs Portfolio (Department of Justice Canada) The Honourable Senator Murray Sinclair, Senator (As an Individual) Joe Wild, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Treaties and Aboriginal Government Sector (Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada)
The subject matter of those elements contained in Division 25 of Part 4 of Bill C-97, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 19, 2019 and other measures	2019-05-02	42-1
Show/Hide the list of witnesses Tuesday, June 4, 2019 at 3:33 PM Wednesday, May 29, 2019 at 6:46 PM Mauro Barelli, Senior Lecturer, City Law School, University of London (As an Individual) John Borrows, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Law, , University of Victoria (As an Individual) Paul Joffe, Legal Counsel, Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee) (As an Individual) Joshua Nichols, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Alberta (As an Individual) Thursday, May 16, 2019 at 1:00 PM Veldon Coburn, Faculty member, School of Indigenous and Canadian Studies, Carleton University (As an Individual) Okimaw Henry Lewis, Chief (Onion Lake Cree Nation) Craig Makinaw, Chief (Ermineskin Cree Nation) François Masse, Director General, Strategic Policy, Cabinet and Parliamentary Affairs (Indigenous Services Canada) Jean-Pierre Morin, Departmental Historian, Strategic Policy Directorate (Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada) Scott Serson, former Deputy Minister, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (As an Individual) Jean-François Tremblay, Deputy Minister (Indigenous Services Canada) Daniel Watson, Deputy Minister (Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada) Tuesday, May 14, 2019 at 9:01 AM Marcel Balfour, Senior Policy Analyst (Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs) Robert Bertrand, National Chief (Congress of Aboriginal Peoples) Jocelyn Formsma, Executive Director (National Association of Friendship Centres)
The subject matter of Bill C-92, An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families	2019-03-19	42-1
Show/Hide the list of witnesses Tuesday, May 7, 2019 at 9:08 AM Thursday, May 2, 2019 at 1:01 PM The Honourable Seamus O'Regan, P.C., M.P., Minister of Indigenous Services (Indigenous Services Canada) Hadley Friedland, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Alberta (As an Individual) Isa Gros-Louis, Director General, Child and Family Services Reform (Indigenous Services Canada) Naiomi W. Metallic, Professor and Chancellor’s Chair in Aboriginal Law and Policy, Dalhousie University (As an Individual) Natan Obed, President (Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami) Dr. Pamela Palmater, Associate Professor and Chair in Indigenous Governance, Ryerson University (As an Individual) Laurie Sargent, Assistant Deputy Minister, Aboriginal Affairs Portfolio (Department of Justice Canada) Gaylene Schellenberg, Lawyer, Advocacy (Canadian Bar Association) David Taylor, Executive Member, Aboriginal Law Section (Canadian Bar Association) Jenny Tierney, Manager, Health & Social Development (Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami) Jean-François Tremblay, Deputy Minister (Indigenous Services Canada) Joanne Wilkinson, Assistant Deputy Minister, Child and Family Services Reform Sector (Indigenous Services Canada) Wednesday, May 1, 2019 at 6:46 PM Holly Anderson, Guardianship Manager (Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society) Cheyenne Andy, Senior Youth Advisory member (Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society) Ashley Bach, President (Youth in Care Canada) Marcel Balfour, Senior Policy Analyst (Manitoba First Nations Family Advocate Office) Marilyn Birch, Director of Child and Family Services (Mi'kmaq Confederacy of Prince Edward Island (MCPEI)) Kayla Frank, Policy Analyst (Manitoba First Nations Family Advocate Office) Tuesday, April 30, 2019 at 8:02 AM Jennifer Cox, Barrister and Solicitor, Project Lead- Enhanced Child Family Initiative (Mi'kmaq Rights Initiative) Richard Gray, Manager, Social Services (First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Health and Social Services Commission) Jason LeBlanc, Executive Director (Tungasuvvingat Inuit) Paul Morris, Lead Counsel (Mi'kmaw Family and Children's Services of Nova Scotia) Paul Prosper, Chief (Paqtnkek Mi'kmaw Nation) Billie Schibler, Chief Executive Officer (Métis Child and Family Services Authority) The Honourable Elisapee Sheutiapik, Minister for Family Services and Government House Leader (Government of Nunavut) Thursday, April 11, 2019 at 1:02 PM Debbie Abbott, Executive Director (Nlaka'pamux Nation Tribal Council) Constant Awashish, Grand Chief, Chair of the Atikamekw Nation Council (Atikamekw Nation Council) Ogichidaa Francis Kavanaugh, Grand Chief (Anishinaabe Nation in Treaty #3) Mary-Ellen Turpel-Lafond, Director, Residential School History and Dialogue Centre, Professor of Law, University of British Columbia (As an Individual) Ardith Walkem, Barrister and Solicitor (Nlaka'pamux Nation Tribal Council) Wednesday, April 10, 2019 at 6:45 PM Joel Abram, Grand Chief (Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians) Robert Bertrand, National Chief (Congress of Aboriginal Peoples) Lisa Cooper, Chief, Native Council of PEI and CAP Board Member (Congress of Aboriginal Peoples) Arlen Dumas, Grand Chief (Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs) Jocelyn Formsma, Executive Director (National Association of Friendship Centres) David Pratt, Vice Chief (Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations) Kyle Prettyshield, Health and Social Director (Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations) Raymond Shingoose, Director of Yorkton Tribal Council Child and Family Services (Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations) Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at 8:00 AM Cindy Blackstock, Executive Director (First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada) Isa Gros-Louis, Director General, Child and Family Services Reform (Indigenous Services Canada) Kevin Hart, Regional Chief (Assembly of First Nations) Francyne Joe, President (Native Women's Association of Canada) Melissa Lambert-Tenasco, Policy Advisor (Native Women's Association of Canada) Virginia Lomax, Legal Counsel (Native Women's Association of Canada) Kevin Page, President and CEO (Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy) Laurie Sargent, Assistant Deputy Minister, Aboriginal Affairs Portfolio (Department of Justice Canada) Jean-François Tremblay, Deputy Minister (Indigenous Services Canada) Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, Senior Advisor (Assembly of First Nations) Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux, Formerly the Minister’s Special Representative on Child Welfare (As an Individual) Joanne Wilkinson, Assistant Deputy Minister, Child and Family Services Reform Sector (Indigenous Services Canada)
The subject matter of Bill C-91, An Act respecting Indigenous languages	2019-02-28	42-1
Show/Hide the list of witnesses Thursday, April 11, 2019 at 1:02 PM Debbie Abbott, Executive Director (Nlaka'pamux Nation Tribal Council) Constant Awashish, Grand Chief, Chair of the Atikamekw Nation Council (Atikamekw Nation Council) Ogichidaa Francis Kavanaugh, Grand Chief (Anishinaabe Nation in Treaty #3) Mary-Ellen Turpel-Lafond, Director, Residential School History and Dialogue Centre, Professor of Law, University of British Columbia (As an Individual) Ardith Walkem, Barrister and Solicitor (Nlaka'pamux Nation Tribal Council) Thursday, April 4, 2019 at 1:00 PM Blake Desjarlais, Director of Public & National Affairs (Métis Settlements General Council) Shannon Gullberg, Official Languages Commissioner (Office of the Official Languages Commissioner of the Northwest Territories) Tina Jules, Director, Yukon Native Language Centre (Council of Yukon First Nations) Helen Klengenberg, Official Languages Commissioner (Office of the Official Languages Commissioner of Nunavut) Corinne McKay, Secretary-Treasurer (Nisga'a Lisims Government) David Morin, Curriculum Developer (Gabriel Dumont Institute of Native Studies and Applied Research) Karon Shmon, Director, Publishing (Gabriel Dumont Institute of Native Studies and Applied Research) Wednesday, April 3, 2019 at 6:46 PM Claudette Commanda, Executive Director (First Nations Confederacy of Cultural Education Centres) Lorena Sekwan Fontaine, Indigenous Academic Lead, Associate Professor, University of Winnipeg (As an Individual) Susanne Gressner, Research and Development, Linguist (First Peoples' Cultural Council) Tracey Herbert, Chief Executive Officer (First Peoples' Cultural Council) Robert Matthew, Principal (T'selcéwtqen Clleq'mel'ten/Chief Atahm School) Imelda Perley, Elder-in-Residence, Mi'kmaq-Wolastoqey Centre, University of New Brunswick (As an Individual) Wanda Wilson, President (Saskatchewan Indigenous Cultural Centre) Tuesday, April 2, 2019 at 8:04 AM Susan Enuaraq, Senior Advisor, Inuktut (Government of Nunavut) Ellen Gabriel, Representative (Kontinónhstats - The Mohawk Language Custodian Association from Kanehsatà:ke) The Honourable David Joanasie, Minister of Languages, Minister of Culture and Heritage and Minister of Education (Government of Nunavut) Aluki Kotierk, President (Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated) Jordan Lachler, Director (Canadian Indigenous Languages and Literacy Development Institute) Ian Martin, Professor, Glendon College, York University (As an Individual) Rebecca Mearns, Dean of Education, Inuit and University Studies (Nunavut Arctic College) Zebedee Nungak, Specialist, Language file (Avataq Cultural Institute) Josepi Padlayat, President (Avataq Cultural Institute) Karen Sandy, Director (Six Nations of the Grand River) Wednesday, March 20, 2019 at 6:45 PM Tim Argetsinger, Political Advisor (Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami) Perry Bellegarde, National Chief (Assembly of First Nations) Roger Jones, Special Advisor to the National Chief (Assembly of First Nations) Natan Obed, President (Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami) Tuesday, March 19, 2019 at 8:00 AM The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, P.C., M.P, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism (Canadian Heritage) Robert Bertrand, National Chief (Congress of Aboriginal Peoples) Melissa Cernigoy, Senior Policy Advisor (Congress of Aboriginal Peoples) Clément Chartier, President (Métis National Council) Jocelyn Formsma, Executive Director (National Association of Friendship Centres) Stephen Gagnon, Federal Representative, Indigenous Languages Legislation, Citizenship, Heritage and Regions Sector (Canadian Heritage) Casey Hunley, Policy Advisor, Education (Native Women's Association of Canada) Francyne Joe, President (Native Women's Association of Canada) Hélène Laurendeau, Deputy Minister (Canadian Heritage) Allan MacDonald, Director General of Implementation, Implementation Sector (Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada) John Topping, Director, Strategic Policy Development Directorate, Treaties and Aboriginal Government Sector (Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada) Adrian Walraven, Acting Director General, Education, Education and Social Development Programs and Partnerships Sector (Indigenous Services Canada)
The subject matter of those elements contained in Divisions 11, 12 and 19 of Part 4 of Bill C-86, A second Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on February 27, 2018 and other measures	2018-11-07	42-1
Show/Hide the list of witnesses Wednesday, November 28, 2018 at 6:50 PM Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at 9:02 AM Harold Calla, Executive Chair (First Nations Financial Management Board) Eric Grant, Director, Community Lands Development, Lands and Environmental Management, Lands and Economic Development (Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and Indigenous Services Canada) C.T. (Manny) Jules, Chief Commissioner (First Nations Tax Commission) Sheilagh Murphy, Assistant Deputy Minister, Lands and Economic Development (Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and Indigenous Services Canada) Marie Potvin, Legal Counsel (First Nations Tax Commission) Leanne Walsh, Director, Fiscal Policy and Investment Readiness, Economic Policy Development, Lands and Environmental Management, Lands and Economic Development (Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and Indigenous Services Canada) Susan Waters, Director General, Lands and Environmental Management, Lands and Economic Development (Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and Indigenous Services Canada) Wednesday, November 21, 2018 at 6:46 PM Steven Aronson, Legal Counsel (First Nations Land Management Resource Centre) Chief Nelson Genaille, Sapotaweyak Cree Nation, Manitoba (Treaty Land Entitlement Committee of Manitoba Inc.) Chris Henderson, Executive Director (Treaty Land Entitlement Committee of Manitoba Inc.) William McCue, Board Member, Lands Advisory Board (First Nations Land Management Resource Centre) Meko Nicholas, Executive Director (First Nations Land Management Resource Centre) Edith Spence, Manager, Lands Division (Opaskwayak Cree Nation) Tuesday, November 20, 2018 at 9:01 AM Christopher Duschenes, Director General, Economic Policy Development, Lands and Economic Development (Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and Indigenous Services Canada) Eric Grant, Director, Community Lands Development, Lands and Environmental Management, Lands and Economic Development (Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and Indigenous Services Canada) Susan Waters, Director General, Lands and Environmental Management, Lands and Economic Development (Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and Indigenous Services Canada)
Government response to the eleventh report of the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples, entitled "The subject matter of Bill C-45, An Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts, insofar as it relates to the Indigenous peoples of Canada"	2018-09-28	42-1
Show/Hide the list of witnesses Wednesday, October 3, 2018 at 6:45 PM The Honourable Bill Blair, P.C., M.P., Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction (Public Safety Canada) The Honourable Jane Philpott, P.C., M.P., Minister of Indigenous Services (Indigenous Services Canada) Eric Costen, Director General, Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Secretariat (Health Canada) Dr. Tom Wong, Chief Medical Officer of Public Health and Executive Director (Department of Indigenous Services Canada)
Bill C-70, An Act to give effect to the Agreement on Cree Nation Governance between the Crees of Eeyou Istchee and the Government of Canada, to amend the Cree-Naskapi (of Quebec) Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts	2018-03-01	42-1
Show/Hide the list of witnesses Tuesday, March 27, 2018 at 9:00 AM Perry Billingsley, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Treaties and Aboriginal Government (Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada) Abel Bosum, Grand Chief (Grand Council of the Cree (Eeyou Istchee)) Matthew Coon Come, Former Grand Chief (Grand Council of the Cree (Eeyou Istchee)) Mandy Gull, Deputy Grand Chief (Grand Council of the Cree (Eeyou Istchee)) Kaitlyn Hester-Moses, Youth Grand Chief (Grand Council of the Cree (Eeyou Istchee)) John Hurley, Partner (Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP) Paul John Murdoch, Lawyer (Grand Council of the Cree (Eeyou Istchee)) Bill Namagoose, Executive Director (Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)) Sylvain Ouellet, Director General, Negotiations East Branch, Treaties and Aboriginal Government (Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada) Geneviève Thériault, Senior Counsel (Department of Justice Canada)
The subject matter of Bill C-45, An Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts, insofar as it relates to the Indigenous peoples of Canada	2018-02-15	42-1
Show/Hide the list of witnesses Wednesday, April 25, 2018 at 6:46 PM Tuesday, April 17, 2018 at 8:03 AM The Honourable Bill Blair, P.C., M.P., Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and to the Minister of Health The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, P.C., Minister of Health (Health Canada) Eric Costen, Director General, Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Secretariat (Health Canada) Diane Labelle, General Counsel (Department of Justice Canada) Stefan Matiation, Director and General Counsel, Aboriginal Law Centre Wednesday, March 28, 2018 at 6:45 PM Steve Burton, Inspector, Criminal Investigative Psychologist (Tsuut'ina Nation Police Service) The Honourable Senator Dennis Glen Patterson Monday, March 26, 2018 at 9:12 AM Chief April Adams-Phillips (Mohawk Council of Akwesasne) Geela Arnauyumayuq, Support Person (As an Individual) Mary Bird, Legal Aid Director & Area Director (Nishnawbe-Aski Legal Services) Philip Chief, Interim Director (Onion Lake Cree Nation) Trevor Daroux, Chief Superintendent, National Aboriginal Policing Services (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) Josephine A. de Whytell, Barrister and Solicitor (Indigenous Bar Association) Mike Fontaine, Vice President (IndigiCo) Carol Hopkins, Executive Director (National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation) Aluki Kotierk, Co-Chair of LCAC and President, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (Land Claims Agreements Coalition) Sara Loft, Vice President (IndigiCo) Inspector Jason McAdam, Officer in Charge, National Crime Prevention Services (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) Howard Morry, Legal Counsel (IndigiCo) Marilee Nowgesic, Executive Director (Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association) Ross Perley (As an Individual) George Qulaut, Support Person (As an Individual) Isaac Shooyook (As an Individual) Derek Stephen, Executive Director (Nishnawbe-Aski Legal Services) Inspector Kimberly Taplin, Acting Director, National Aboriginal Policing and Crime Prevention Services (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) Louis Uttak (As an Individual) Wednesday, February 28, 2018 at 6:48 PM C.T. (Manny) Jules, Chief Commissioner (First Nations Tax Commission) Randall Phillips, Chief (Oneida Nation of the Thames) Bill Robinson, Executive Director (Indigenous Peoples Cannabis Association) Tuesday, February 27, 2018 at 9:05 AM Trevor Bhupsingh, Director General, Law Enforcement and Border Strategies (Public Safety Canada) Eric Costen, Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Branch (Health Canada) Valerie Gideon, Acting Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (Department of Indigenous Services Canada) Diane Labelle, General Counsel (Department of Justice Canada) Stefan Matiation, Director and General Counsel, Aboriginal Law Centre (Department of Justice Canada) Sheilagh Murphy, Assistant Deputy Minister, Lands and Economic Development (Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and Indigenous Services Canada)