THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Wednesday, February 7, 2024
(88)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs met this day at 4:16 p.m., in room B30, Senate of Canada Building, the deputy chair, the Honourable Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Batters, Boisvenu, Clement, Cotter, Dalphond, Jaffer, Klyne, Pate, Prosper, Simons and Tannas (11).

Participating in the meeting: Aoife Mc Donald, Administrative Assistant, Committees Directorate; Michaela Keenan-Pelletier and Iryna Zazulya, analysts, Library of Parliament.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, November 3, 2022, the committee continued its consideration of Bill S-230, An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act.

WITNESSES:

Office of the Correctional Investigator:

Ivan Zinger, Correctional Investigator of Canada.

Mental Health Commission of Canada:

A.J. Grant-Nicholson, Principal Lawyer (by videoconference);

Krystal Kelly, Program Manager, Mental Health Advancement (by videoconference).

Union of Canadian Correctional Officers:

Jeff Wilkins, National President (by videoconference);

Frédérick Lebeau, National Vice-President (by videoconference).

West Coast Prison Justice Society:

Debra Parkes, Board Member, Prisoners' Legal Services (by videoconference).

Ivan Zinger made a statement and answered questions.

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

At 5:18 p.m., the committee resumed.

A.J. Grant-Nicholson, Jeff Wilkins and Debra Parkes each made a statement and, together with Krystal Kelly and Frédérick Lebeau, answered questions.

At 6:22 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Vincent Labrosse

Clerk of the Committee