THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Monday, October 21, 2024
(56)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights met this day at 5:01 p.m., in room B45, Senate of Canada Building, the chair, the Honourable Salma Ataullahjan, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Ataullahjan, Bernard, Gerba, Osler and Pate (5).

Other senators present: The Honourable Senators Senior, Wells (Alberta) and Youance (3).

Participating in the meeting: Caroline Woodward, Procedural Clerk, Committees Directorate; Robert Mason, Analyst, Library of Parliament; Amely Coulombe, Manager, Strategic Communications, and Chelsea DeFazio, Communications Officer, Communications, Broadcasting and Publications Directorate.

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: Aging Out of Foster Care)

WITNESSES:

Nova Scotia Department of Community Services:

Stacey Greenough, Director, Child and Family Wellbeing (by videoconference).

Children's Aid Foundation of Canada:

Wendy Chan, Associate Director, Program Impact (by videoconference);

Christina Loc, Youth and Lived Expert Engagement Manager (by videoconference).

As individuals:

Melanie Doucet, Project Lead, National Council of Youth in Care Advocates and Adjunct Professor, School of Social Work, McGill University;

Jacqueline Gahagan, Associate Vice-President Research, Mount Saint Vincent University (by videoconference).

Melanie Doucet and Jacqueline Gahagan each made a statement and answered questions.

At 6:05 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 6:12 p.m., the committee resumed.

Stacey Greenough made a statement and answered questions.

Wendy Chan and Christina Loc made a statement together and answered questions.

At 7:07 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 7:10 p.m., pursuant to rule 12-16(1)(d), the committee resumed in camera to discuss a draft agenda (future business).

At 7:11 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 7:42 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Sébastien Payet

Clerk of the Committee