THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Thursday, November 28, 2024
(128)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs met this day at 11:31 a.m., in room B30, Senate of Canada Building, the chair, the Honourable Brent Cotter, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Arnot, Audette, Batters, Clement, Cotter, LaBoucane-Benson, Moreau, Pate, Prosper, Simons and Tannas (11).

Participating in the meeting: Emilie Doyon and Michaela Keenan-Pelletier, analysts, Library of Parliament.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, November 7, 2024, the committee began its examination of the report on the Statutes Repeal Act for the year 2024.

WITNESSES:

Department of Justice Canada:

Carolina Mingarelli, Acting Deputy Assistant Deputy Minister, Legislative Services Branch;

Josée Filion, Deputy Director and Senior Counsel, Legislative Services Sector;

Fabien Vadnais, Legal Counsel, Legislative Services Branch;

Marie-Claude Gervais, Senior Counsel and Deputy Director, Legal Services Division, Programs Branch;

Lisa Hitch, Senior Counsel, Family Law and Youth Justice Policy Section, Policy Sector;

Eric Nielsen, Senior Counsel, Human Rights Law Section;

Evelyne Borkowski-Parent, Legal Counsel, Legal Services Division, Programs Branch.

Global Affairs Canada:

Alison Grant, Director General, International Security Policy and Strategic Affairs Bureau;

Julien Tremblay, Acting Deputy Director, Non-Proliferation, Disarmament, and Space Division.

Department of National Defence:

Steve Irwin, Director, Pensions and Social Programs, Military Personnel Command;

Colonel Geneviève Lortie, Deputy Judge Advocate General, Military Justice Modernization.

Department of Finance Canada:

Steven Begg, Acting Director, Competition and Strategic Initiatives, Financial Institutions Division;

Matthew Emde, Director General, Funds Management.

Public Services and Procurement Canada:

Levent Özmutlu, Director General, Strategic Policy Sector.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada:

Runa Angus, Senior Director, Strategy and Innovation Policy Sector.

Transport Canada:

Sean Rogers, Executive Director, Legislative, Regulatory and International Affairs;

Debora Sarmento, Legal Counsel, Transport and Infrastructure Legal Services;

François Marier, Director, International Marine Policy.

Employment and Social Development Canada:

Kevin Wagdin, Director, Old Age Security Policy and Legislation;

Mona Nandy, Director General, Employment Insurance Policy;

Jonathan Leblanc, Acting Director General, Program Policy, Worker Protections, and Stakeholder Relations, Temporary Foreign Worker Program Branch.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada:

Korey McKinnon, Acting Director General, Temporary Workers Branch;

Jamie Heffernan, Counsel, Legal Services Unit.

Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada:

Georgina Lloyd, Assistant Deputy Minister;

Jake Kennedy, Director General, Policy and Partnerships Branch.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada:

Justine Akman, Director General, Sectoral and Supply Chain Policy Directorate;

Shawna Noseworthy, Senior Counsel, Agriculture and Food Inspection Legal Services.

Privy Council Office:

Sarah Stinson, Director of Operations, Democratic Institutions.

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat:

Julie Lemieux, Director, Policy Development and Integration;

Janice Freamo, Senior Advisor, Pension Policy and Programs, Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer.

Environment and Climate Change Canada:

Philippe Giguère, Deputy Director, Legislative Governance, Environmental Protection Branch;

Julien Landry, Manager, Legislative Governance.

Carolina Mingarelli made a statement and, together with Josée Filion, Marie-Claude Gervais, Lisa Hitch, Alison Grant, Steve Irwin, Geneviève Lortie, Levent Özmutlu, Julie Lemieux, Kevin Wagdin, Jake Kennedy, Sarah Stinson, Steven Begg, Runa Angus, François Mernier and Sean Rogers, answered questions.

The committee considered a draft report.

After debate, it was agreed that observations be appended to the committee's report.

At 1:43 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Vincent Labrosse

Clerk of the Committee