THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Monday, April 15, 2024
(51)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights met this day at 5:02 p.m., in room B45, Senate of Canada Building.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Arnot, Cordy, Gerba, Jaffer, Omidvar and Pate (6).

Other senators present: The Honourable Senator Simons (1).

Participating in the meeting: Robert Mason and Martin McCallum, analysts, Library of Parliament; Amely Coulombe, Communications Officer, Communications, Broadcasting and Publications Directorate.

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 Omidvar moved that the Honourable Senator Pate 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 Thursday, March 3, 2022, the committee continued its study of such issues as may arise from time to time relating to human rights generally. (Topic: Forced Global Displacement)

WITNESSES:

International Organization for Migration:

Irena Vojácková-Sollorano, Deputy Director General for Management and Reform ad interim (by videoconference).

Doctors Without Borders:

Dr. Jason Nickerson, Humanitarian Representative to Canada.

As an individual:

Kelsey Norman, Fellow for the Middle East, Director, Women's Rights, Human Rights and Refugees Program, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University (by videoconference).

Irena Vojácková-Sollorano made a statement and answered questions.

At 6:10 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 6:16 p.m., the committee resumed.

Kelsey Norman and Jason Nickerson each made a statement and answered questions.

At 7:24 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 7:32 p.m., pursuant to rule 12-16(1)(d), the committee resumed in camera to discuss a draft agenda (future business).

At 7:33 p.m., pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, the committee continued its study of the Government Response to the Fourth Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights entitled "Human Rights of Federally-Sentenced Persons", tabled in the Senate on June 16, 2021, during the Second Session of the Forty-third Parliament.

It was agreed that the committee allow the audio recording 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 or by the committee analysts, and that the audio recording 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 this parliamentary session.

At 7:53 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Sébastien Payet

Clerk of the Committee