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

Issue No. 42 - Minutes of Proceedings - May 2, 2018

OTTAWA, Wednesday, May 2, 2018
(97)

[English]

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

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Bernard, Campbell, Deacon, Eggleton, P.C., Galvez, Lankin, P.C., Manning, Mégie, Munson, Omidvar, Patterson, Poirier, Raine and Seidman (14).

Other senators present: The Honourable Senators Boisvenu, Carignan, P.C., Christmas, Dupuis, Dyck, Joyal, P.C., McCallum, Pate, Sinclair and Tannas (10).

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:

Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs:

The Honourable Senator Serge Joyal, P.C., Chair;

The Honourable Senator Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu, Deputy Chair;

The Honourable Senator Renée Dupuis, Deputy Chair.

Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples:

The Honourable Senator Lillian Eva Dyck, Chair;

The Honourable Senator Scott Tannas, Deputy Chair;

The Honourable Senator Dan Christmas, Member.

Criminal Lawyers' Association:

Annamaria Enenajor, Criminal Lawyer;

Michael Spratt, Criminal Lawyer.

Canadian Bar Association:

Paul J. Calarco, Member, Criminal Justice Section;

Gaylene Schellenberg, Lawyer, Legislation and Law Reform.

Barreau du Québec:

Pascal Lévesque, Chair of the Committee on Criminal Law (by video conference).

The chair made a statement.

The Honourable Senators Joyal, P.C., Dupuis and Boisvenu each made a statement and answered questions.

At 4 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 4:03 p.m., the committee resumed.

The Honourable Senators Dyck, Christmas and Tannas each made a statement and answered questions.

At 4:49 p.m., the Honourable Senator Deacon replaced the Honourable Senator Campbell as a member of the committee.

At 5:03 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 5:08 p.m., the committee resumed.

Mr. Spratt, Ms. Enenajor, Mr. Calarco and Ms. Schellenberg each made a statement and answered questions.

At 6:21 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Mireille Aubé
Acting Clerk of the Committee