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

Issue No. 45 - Minutes of Proceedings - May 25, 2018

OTTAWA, Friday, May 25, 2018
(105)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology met this day at 8:03 a.m., in room 160-S, Centre Block, the chair, the Honourable Art Eggleton, P.C., presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Deacon, Dean, Eggleton, P.C., Gold, Manning, Munson, Oh, Omidvar, Petitclerc, Poirier, Seidman and Tannas (12).

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:

Health Canada:

Eric Costen, Director General, Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Secretariat;

John Clare, Director, Policy, Legislative and Regulatory Affairs.

Department of Justice Canada:

Diane Labelle, General Counsel, Health Canada Legal Services;

Carole Morency, Director General and Senior General Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section;

Paul Saint-Denis, Senior Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section;

Stefan Matiation, Director and General Counsel, Aboriginal Law Centre.

Department of Indigenous Services Canada:

Valerie Gideon, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch.

Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada:

Sheilagh Murphy, Assistant Deputy Minister, Lands and Economic Development.

Public Safety Canada:

Trevor Bhupsingh, Director General, Law Enforcement and Border Strategies;

Rachel Huggins, Manager, Policy Development.

Canada Border Services Agency:

Carl Desmarais, Executive Director, Enforcement and Intelligence Programs.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police:

Chief Superintendent Paul Beauchesne, Director General, Federal Policing Criminal Operations;

Chief Superintendent Dennis Daley, Director General, National Criminal Operations, Contract and Aboriginal Policing;

Paul Boudreau, Departmental Security Officer.

Global Affairs Canada:

Mark Gwozdecky, Assistant Deputy Minister, International Security and Political Affairs;

Alan Kessel, Assistant Deputy Minister, Legal Affairs and Legal Adviser;

Kevin Thompson, Director General, North America Strategy Bureau.

The chair made a statement.

The officials were called to the table and answered questions pertaining to the various reports on the subject-matter of certain elements of Bill C-45.

At 10:25 a.m., the committee suspended.

At 10:38 a.m., the committee resumed.

At 12:13 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Mireille Aubé
Acting Clerk of the Committee