Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Social Affairs, Science and Technology

Issue No. 40 - Minutes of Proceedings - April 18, 2018

OTTAWA, Wednesday, April 18, 2018
(92)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology met this day at 3:45 p.m., in room 2, Victoria Building, the chair, the Honourable Art Eggleton, P.C., presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Campbell, Eggleton, P.C., Galvez, Manning, Marshall, Martin, Mégie, Munson, Omidvar, Petitclerc, Poirier, Raine and Seidman (13).

In attendance: Shaila Anwar, Deputy Principal Clerk, Senate Committees Directorate; Sonya Norris and Marlisa Tiedemann, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament.

Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, March 22, 2018, the committee continued its examination of Bill C-45, An Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 39.)

WITNESSES:

Canadian Research Initiative on Substance Misuse (CRISM):

Benedikt Fischer, Addiction Chair, Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto;

Dr. Didier Jutras-Aswad, Principal Scientist, Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM).

As an individual:

Michael R. DeVillaer, Assistant Professor, Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, McMaster University.

Canadian Medical Association:

Dr. Laurent Marcoux, President;

Dr. Jeff Blackmer, Vice-President, Medical Professionalism.

Canadian Nurses Association:

Karey Shuhendler, Program Lead, Public Policy;

Lynda Balneaves, Registered Nurse and Medical and Non-Medical Cannabis Researcher.

Canadian Psychiatric Association:

Dr. Philip Tibbo, Representative, Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University.

Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry:

Dr. Robert Milin, Representative, Head, Division of Addiction and Mental Health, Associate Professor, University of Ottawa.

The chair made a statement.

Mr. Fischer, Dr. Jutras-Aswad and Mr. DeVillaer each made a statement and answered questions.

At 4:31 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 5:15 p.m., the committee resumed.

Dr. Marcoux, Ms. Shuhendler, Dr. Tibbo and Dr. Milin each made a statement and, together with Dr. Blackmer and Ms. Balneaves, answered questions.

At 5:36 p.m., the Honourable Senator Martin replaced the Honourable Senator Raine as a member of the committee.

At 6:32 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Mireille Aubé
Acting Clerk of the Committee