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	note	note
Study matters relating to legal and constitutional matters generally, as described in rule 12-7(7)	2021-03-30
Bill S-203, An Act to restrict young persons’ online access to sexually explicit material	2021-03-16
Show/Hide the list of witnesses Wednesday, April 21, 2021 at 4:00 PM Dr. Gail Dines (Culture Reframed) Jacqueline Gahagan, Professor, Health Promotion, Dalhousie University (As an Individual) Dr. Megan Harrison, Pediatrician and Adolescent Health Physician, CHEO (As an Individual) The Honourable Senator Julie Miville-Dechêne, Sponsor of the bill Dr. Jocelyn Monsma Selby, Co-Chair, Global Summit, Connecting to Protect (Connecting to Protect) Murray Perkins, Consultant, Media regulation and Age-verification (18North)
Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Judges Act and the Criminal Code	2021-02-11
Show/Hide the list of witnesses Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 10:36 AM Gillian Blackell, Senior Counsel and Team Lead, Criminal Law Policy Section (Department of Justice Canada) Toby Hoffmann, Acting Director and General Counsel, Judicial Affairs Section (Department of Justice Canada) Melissa Moor, Counsel, Judicial Affairs Section (Department of Justice Canada) Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 4:32 PM The Honourable Rona Ambrose, P.C. (As an Individual) Betty Barrett, Associate Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies and Social Work, Animal and Interpersonal Abuse Research Group (University of Windsor and Humane Canada) Amy J. Fitzgerald, Professor of Criminology, Animal and Interpersonal Abuse Research Group (University of Windsor and Humane Canada) Amy S. FitzGerald, Executive Director (BC Society of Transition Houses) Olga Houde, Coordinator, Political Analysis (Fédération des maisons d'hébergement pour femmes) Hilla Kerner, Collective Member (Vancouver Rape Relief and Women's Shelter) Viviane Michel, President (Quebec Native Women Inc.) Manon Monastesse, Director General (Fédération des maisons d'hébergement pour femmes) Asahni Montgomery, Collective Member (Vancouver Rape Relief and Women's Shelter) Léa Serier, Justice and Public Security Coordinator (Quebec Native Women Inc.) Raphael Tachie, President (Canadian Association of Black Lawyers) Diane Tremblay (As an Individual) Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 10:30 AM Paul J. Calarco, Member, Criminal Justice Section (Canadian Bar Association) Annamaria Enenajor, Criminal Defence Lawyer (Criminal Lawyers Association) Jocelyn Formsma, Executive Director (National Association of Friendship Centres) The Honourable C. Adèle Kent, Chief Judicial Officer (National Judicial Institute) Fo Niemi, Director General (Center for Research-Action on Race Relations) Megan Savard, Criminal Defence Lawyer, CLA Director (Criminal Lawyers Association) Christopher Sheppard, President (National Association of Friendship Centres) Jean Teillet (Indigenous Bar Association) Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at 4:33 PM The Honourable David Lametti, P.C., M.P., Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada (Department of Justice Canada) Gillian Blackell, Senior Counsel and Team Lead, Criminal Law Policy Section (Department of Justice Canada) Nathalie G. Drouin, Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General of Canada (Department of Justice Canada) Toby Hoffmann, Acting Director and General Counsel, Judicial Affairs Section (Department of Justice Canada) Melissa Moor, Counsel, Judicial Affairs Section (Department of Justice Canada)
Bill C-7, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying)	2020-12-17
Show/Hide the list of witnesses Wednesday, February 3, 2021 at 10:01 AM Dr. Gary A. Chaimowitz, Professor of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University (As an Individual) Albert Gretzky (As an Individual) Spring Hawes, Peer Mentor and recent MLA candidate, Dignity Denied (As an Individual) Dr. Neil Hilliard, Palliative Care Physician, Delta Hospice Society (As an Individual) Abby Hoffman, Senior Executive Advisor to the Deputy Minister (Health Canada) Dr. Trevor A. Hurwitz, Doctor and Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia (As an Individual) Dr. Karine J. Igartua, President (Quebec Psychiatric Association ) Joanne Klineberg, Acting General Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section (Department of Justice Canada) Karen Kusch, Senior Policy Advisor, Strategic Policy Branch (Health Canada) Sylvain Le May, Citizen, Welcoming and Support Services for Students with Disabilities, Université du Québec à Montréal (As an Individual) Jacquie Lemaire, Senior Policy Advisor, Strategic Policy Branch (Health Canada) Dr. John Maher, Psychiatrist, Barrie Assertive Community Treatment Team; President, OAAF; Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Ethics in Mental Health (Ontario Association for ACT & FACT) The Honourable Senator Marie-Françoise Mégie, Senator Carole Morency, Director General and Senior General Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section (Department of Justice Canada) Dr. Chantal Perrot (As an Individual) Gabrielle Peters, Disabled Writer and Co-founder, Dignity Denied (As an Individual) Caroline Quesnel, Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section (Department of Justice Canada) Dr. Lisa Richardson, Strategic Lead, Centre for Wise Practices in Indigenous Health, Women's College Hospital (As an Individual) Andrew Roman (As an Individual) Dr. Mark Sinyor, Associate Professor; Psychiatrist, University of Toronto, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (As an Individual) Dr. Donna Stewart, University Professor, University of Toronto, Psychiatrist, University Health Network, Senior Scientist, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute (As an Individual) Dr. Joshua Wales, Palliative Care Physician, Sinai Health (As an Individual) Tuesday, February 2, 2021 at 9:09 AM Eric Adams, Vice Dean and Professor of Law, University of Alberta Faculty of Law (As an Individual) Jonas-Sébastien Beaudry (As an Individual) Julie Campbell, Nurse Practitioner (As an Individual) Raphael Cohen-Almagor, Professor, University of Hull (As an Individual) Richard Fowler, Board Member, Representative for Vancouver, British Columbia (Canadian Council of Criminal Defence Lawyers) Dr. Thomas Fung, Physician Lead (Siksika Health Services) Dr. Gus Grant, Registrar and CEO (College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia) Abby Hoffman, Senior Executive Advisor to the Deputy Minister (Health Canada) Timothy Holland, MAID Physician Provider and Assessor (As an Individual) Lucie Joncas, Board Member, Representative for Montreal, Quebec (Canadian Council of Criminal Defence Lawyers) Dr. Jaro Kotalik, Professor, Northern Ontario School of Medicine (As an Individual) Karen Kusch, Senior Policy Advisor, Strategic Policy Branch (Health Canada) Dr. Rod McCormick, Professor and Research Chair, All My Relations Research Centre, Thompson Rivers University (As an Individual) Jean-Pierre Ménard, Lawyer (Barreau du Québec) Marie-Nancy Paquet, Lawyer (Barreau du Québec) François Paulette, Denesuline Elder (As an Individual) Laurel Plewes, Director, VCHA Assisted Dying Program, Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (VCHA) (As an Individual) David E. Roberge, Member of the Canadian Bar Association End of Life Working Group (Canadian Bar Association) Scott Robertson, Senior Associate, Nahwegahbow Corbiere (Indigenous Bar Association) Delphine Roigt, Lawyer and Ethics Advisor (As an Individual) Jocelyne Saint-Arnaud, Associate Professor, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal (As an Individual) Dr. Derryck Smith, Clinical Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia (As an Individual) Dr. Janet Smylie (As an Individual) Suzanne L. Stewart, Director, Waakebiness-Bryce Institute for Indigenous Health and Associate Professor Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto (As an Individual) Daniel Weinstock (As an Individual) Tyler White, Chief Executive Officer (Siksika Health Services) Ivan Zinger, Correctional Investigator of Canada (Office of the Correctional Investigator) Dr. Joel B. Zivot, Associate Professor, Emory University School of Medicine (As an Individual) Monday, February 1, 2021 at 10:01 AM The Honourable David Lametti, P.C., M.P., Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada (Department of Justice Canada) Danielle Chalifoux, Lawyer in health law (Institut de planification des soins du Québec) François Daigle, Associate Deputy Minister (Department of Justice Canada) Marcella Daye, Senior Policy Advisor (Canadian Human Rights Commission) Dr. Naheed Dosani, Palliative Care Physician and Health Justice Activist (As an Individual) Sarah Jama, Lead Organizer (Disability Justice Network of Ontario) Heidi Janz, Chair, Ending-of-Life Ethics Committee (Council of Canadians with Disabilities) The Honourable Senator Serge Joyal, P.C., former senator (As an Individual) Joanne Klineberg, Acting General Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section (Department of Justice Canada) Marie-Claude Landry, Chief Commissioner (Canadian Human Rights Commission) A. Wayne MacKay, Professor Emeritus of Law, Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University (As an Individual) Jonathan Marchand, Chair (Coop ASSIST - Quebec Cooperative for Independent Living) Carole Morency, Director General and Senior General Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section (Department of Justice Canada) Sheila Osborne-Brown, Acting General Counsel and Director of Legal Services (Canadian Human Rights Commission) Caroline Quesnel, Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section (Department of Justice Canada) Gerard Quinn, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities (United Nations Human Rights Council) David Shannon, Barrister and Solicitor (As an Individual) Elizabeth Sheehy, Professor Emerita of Law, University of Ottawa (As an Individual) Patrick Taillon, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, Laval University (As an Individual) Laurie Wright, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister (Department of Justice Canada)
Examine the subject matter of Bill C-7, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying)	2020-11-03
Show/Hide the list of witnesses Friday, January 29, 2021 at 1:11 PM Wednesday, December 9, 2020 at 4:18 PM Wednesday, December 2, 2020 at 4:18 PM Friday, November 27, 2020 at 10:01 AM Stéphane Beaulac, professor, University of Montreal (As an Individual) Dr. Ramona Coelho, Family Physician (As an Individual) Catherine Frazee, Professor Emerita in the School of Disability Studies, Ryerson University (As an Individual) Dr. K. Sonu Gaind, Associate Professor, University of Toronto (As an Individual) Isabel Grant, Professor, University of British Columbia (As an Individual) Laverne Jacobs, Associate Professor and Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor (As an Individual) Geoffrey Kelley, Former Member of the National Assembly of Quebec (As an Individual) Dr. Scott Kim, Senior Investigator, Department of Bioethics, National Institute of Health (As an Individual) Dr. Jeffrey Kirby, Professor, Bioethics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University (As an Individual) Jason LeBlanc, Caregiver and Researcher (As an Individual) Nicolas M. Rouleau, Constitutional Lawyer (As an Individual) Dr. Derryck Smith, Clinical Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia (As an Individual) Thursday, November 26, 2020 at 10:01 AM The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, P.C., M.P., Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion (Employment, Workforce Development and Labour) Neil Belanger, Executive Director (British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society) Dr. Thomas Bouchard, Family physician (Alberta Committee for Conscience Protection) Robyn Boucher, Intern, University of Toronto (As an Individual) Dr. Carrie Bourassa, Professor, Community Health and Epidemiology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan (As an Individual) Vince Calderhead, Lawyer, Pink Larkin (As an Individual) Dr. Ewan Goligher, Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Toronto (As an Individual) Dr. Alika Lafontaine, Physician and Medical Lead, Aboriginal Health Program, North Zone (Alberta Health Services) Claire McNeil, Lawyer, Dalhousie Legal Aid Service (Disability Rights Coalition of Nova Scotia) Marilee Nowgesic, Executive Director (Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association) Grace Pastine, Litigation Director (British Columbia Civil Liberties Association) Dr. François Primeau, Clinical professor, Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Physicians’ Alliance against Euthanasia (As an Individual) Dr. Yves Robert, Secretary of the Order (Collège des médecins du Québec) Dr. Harvey Schipper, Professor of Medicine and Adjunct Professor of Law, University of Toronto (As an Individual) Dr. Isabelle Tardif, Deputy Director General and Assistant Secretary (Collège des médecins du Québec) Dr. Cornelia Wieman, President (Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada) Krista Wilcox, Director General, Office for Disability Issues (Employment and Social Development Canada) Wednesday, November 25, 2020 at 9:34 AM The Honourable Patty Hajdu, P.C., M.P., Minister of Health (Health Canada) Louise A. Auger, Director, Professional Affairs (Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada) Julia Beazley, Director, Public Policy (Evangelical Fellowship of Canada) Dr. Mona Gupta, Psychiatrist and Researcher, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Addictions, Université de Montréal (As an Individual) Sharon Harper, Director General, Strategic Policy Branch (Health Canada) Daniel Hayward, Chair, Theology and Inter-Church Inter-Faith Committee (The United Church of Canada) Abby Hoffman, Senior Executive Advisor to the Deputy Minister (Health Canada) Alexander King, Chair of the Board (Interim) (Living with Dignity) Karen Kusch, Senior Policy Advisor, Strategic Policy Branch (Health Canada) Fleur-Ange Lefebvre, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer (Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada) Jean-François Leroux, Lawyer (As an Individual) Stephen Lucas, Deputy Minister (Health Canada) The Most Reverend William McGrattan, Roman Catholic Bishop of Calgary and Member of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Executive Committee (Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops) Jean-Pierre Ménard, Lawyer (As an Individual) Refaat Mohamed, President (Canadian Council of Imams) Vyda Ng, Executive Director (Canadian Unitarian Council) Derek Ross, Executive Director and General Counsel (Christian Legal Fellowship) André Schutten, Director of Law and Public Policy (Association for Reformed Political Action Canada) Laurence Worthen, Executive Director (Christian Medical and Dental Association of Canada) Tuesday, November 24, 2020 at 10:03 AM Dr. Patrick Baillie, Psychologist and Lawyer (Mental Health Commission of Canada) Dr. Catherine Cervin, President (College of Family Physicians of Canada) Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov, Distinguished Professor, University of Manitoba (As an Individual) Dr. Justine Dembo, Psychiatrist, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Lecturer, University of Toronto (As an Individual) Dr. James Downar, Head and Associate Professor, Division of Palliative Care, University of Ottawa (As an Individual) Jocelyn Downie, Professor, Health Law Institute, Dalhousie University (As an Individual) Dr. Catherine Ferrier, President (Physicians' Alliance against Euthanasia) Mark Henick, Mental Health Advocate (As an Individual) Sean Krausert, Executive Director (Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention) Dr. Francine Lemire, Chief Executive Officer (College of Family Physicians of Canada) Trudo Lemmens, Professor and Scholl Chair in Health Law and Policy, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto (As an Individual) Brian L. Mishara, Director, Centre for Research and Intervention on Suicide, Ethical Issues and End of Life Practices, and Professor, Psychology Department, University of Quebec at Montreal (As an Individual) Dr. Susan Moffatt-Bruce, Chief Executive Officer (Royal College of Physician and Surgeons of Canada) Dr. Alain Naud, Clinical Professor, Department of Family and Emergency Medicine (Laval University) Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director (Euthanasia Prevention Coalition of Ontario) Dr. Sephora Tang, Psychiatrist, The Ottawa Hospital, Clinical Lecturer, University of Ottawa (As an Individual) Michael Villeneuve, Chief Executive Officer (Canadian Nurses Association) Monday, November 23, 2020 at 10:17 AM The Honourable David Lametti, P.C., M.P., Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada (Department of Justice Canada) Bonnie Brayton, National Executive Director (The DisAbled Women's Network of Canada) Dr. Sandy Buchman, Past president (Canadian Medical Association) Krista Carr, Executive Vice-President (Inclusion Canada) James S. Cowan, Chair, Board of Directors and former senator (Dying With Dignity Canada) François Daigle, Associate Deputy Minister (Department of Justice Canada) Dr. Alison Freeland, Chair, Professional Standards and Practice Committee (Canadian Psychiatric Association) Andrew Galley, National Research and Policy Analyst (Canadian Mental Health Association) Dr. Stefanie Green, President (Canadian Association of MAiD Assessors and Providers) Amy E. Hasbrouck, Executive Director, Toujours Vivant-Not Dead Yet a project of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (Council of Canadians with Disabilities) Dr. Leonie Herx, Palliative Medicine Consultant, Immediate Past-President and Executive Board Member (Canadian Society of Palliative Care Physicians) Dr. Georges L’Espérance, President, neurosurgeon (Association québécoise pour le droit de mourir dans la dignité) Helen Long, Chief Executive Officer (Dying With Dignity Canada) Dr. Grainne E. Neilson, President (Canadian Psychiatric Association) Dr. Tarek Rajji, Chief of Adult Neurodevelopment and Geriatric Psychiatry, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Toronto (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health) Laurie Wright, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister (Department of Justice Canada)