THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
OTTAWA, Tuesday, April 28, 2026
(28)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples met this day at 9 a.m., in room C128, Senate of Canada Building, the deputy chair, the Honourable Margo Greenwood, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Clement, Francis, Greenwood, Karetak-Lindell, McCallum, Pate, Prosper, Sorensen and Tannas (9).
Participating in the meeting: Sara Fryer and Allison Lowenger, Analysts, Library of Parliament.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, the committee began its examination of the government response, dated March 21, 2024, to the committee’s twelfth report (interim), entitled On the Outside Looking In: The Implementation of the Cannabis Act and its Effects on Indigenous Peoples, tabled in the Senate on June 14, 2023, during the First Session of the Forty-fourth Parliament.
WITNESSES:
Indigenous Services Canada:
Christopher Cornish, Director General, Economic and Business Opportunities, Lands and Economic Development.
Department of Finance Canada:
Lesley Taylor, Director General, Intergovernmental Tax Policy, Evaluation and Research Division;
Brent Almond, Senior Director, Indigenous Tax Policy.
Canada Revenue Agency:
Darren Weiner, Director, Excise Duty Division.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police:
Jennifer Ebert, Assistant Commissioner, Operational Policing Services, Indigenous Provincial Territorial Municipal Policing.
Public Safety Canada:
Adrian Walraven, Director General, Indigenous Affairs.
Health Canada:
John Clare, Director General, Strategic Policy Directorate, Controlled Substances and Cannabis Branch (by videoconference).
Christopher Cornish and Darren Weiner each made a statement and, together with Lesley Taylor and Brent Almond, answered questions.
At 9:58 a.m., the committee suspended.
At 10:06 a.m., the committee resumed.
Jennifer Ebert, Adrian Walraven and John Clare each made a statement and answered questions.
At 11:01 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Sébastien Payet
Clerk of the Committee