THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Wednesday, February 15, 2023
(36)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade met this day at 4 p.m., in room C128, Senate of Canada Building.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Boniface, Coyle, Deacon (Ontario), Gerba, Greene, Housakos, MacDonald, Simons and Woo (9).

Participating In the meeting: Nadia Faucher, Analyst, Library of Parliament.

The clerk informed the committee of the unavoidable absences of the chair and deputy chair and presided over the election of an acting chair.

The Honourable Senator MacDonald moved that the Honourable Senator Boniface be the acting chair.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The acting chair took the chair.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Monday, October 17, 2022, the committee continued its comprehensive review of the provisions and operation of the Sergei Magnitsky Law, and the Special Economic Measures Act.

WITNESSES:

As individuals:

The Honourable A. Raynell Andreychuk, former senator;

Amanda Strayer, Supervising Staff Attorney, Accountability, Human Rights First;

Brandon Silver, Director of Policy and Projects, Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights.

The Honourable A. Raynell Andreychuk made a statement and answered questions.

At 4:46 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 4:49 p.m., the committee resumed.

Amanda Strayer and Brandon Silver each made a statement and answered questions.

At 5:27 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 5:28 p.m., pursuant to rule 12-16(1), the committee resumed in camera to consider a draft report.

It was agreed that senators’ staff be allowed to remain in the room during the in camera portion of the meeting.

It was agreed that the committee allow the transcription of the in camera portion of today’s meeting, that one copy be kept with the clerk of the committee for consultation by committee members and/or staff, and that the transcript be destroyed by the clerk when authorized to do so by the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, but no later than at the end of the parliamentary session

At 5:36 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the acting chair.

ATTEST:

Chantal Cardinal

Clerk of the Committee