THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Wednesday, November 19, 2025
(14)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs met this day at 4:21 p.m., in room B30, Senate of Canada Building, the deputy chair, the Honourable Denise Batters, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Batters, Clement, Miville-Dechêne, Oudar, Pate, Prosper, Saint-Germain, Simons, Tannas and Wells (Alberta) (10).

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

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

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, November 6, 2025, the committee began its examination of the report on the Statutes Repeal Act for the year 2025.

WITNESSES:

Department of Justice Canada:

Linda DuPont, General Counsel and Director, Legislative Services Branch, Public Law and Legislative Services Sector;

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.

Privy Council Office:

Sarah Stinson, Director of Operations, Democratic Institutions.

Global Affairs Canada:

Neil Brennan, Executive Director, Non-proliferation, Disarmament and Space.

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat:

Julie Lemieux, Director, Policy Development and Integration;

Karen Favereau, Director, Pension Program Management, Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer.

Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada:

Georgina Lloyd, Assistant Deputy Minister, Northern Affairs.

Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces:

Stephen Irwin, Director, Pension and Social Programs, Military Personnel Command.

Public Services and Procurement Canada:

Ricardo Seoane, Executive Director, Procurement Branch, Strategic Policy Sector, Compliance and Integration Directorate.

Department of Finance Canada:

Barbara Russell, Director, Framework Policy, Financial Sector Policy Branch;

Nicolas Marion, Senior Director, Payments Policy, Financial Services Division.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada:

Samir Chhabra, Director General, Marketplace Framework Policy Branch;

Marc-André Sénéchal, Senior Policy Advisor, Marketplace Framework.

Transport Canada:

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

Employment and Social Development Canada:

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

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.

Linda DuPont made a statement and, together with Sarah Stinson, Karen Favereau, Stephen Irwin, Neil Brennan, Samir Chhabra and Marie-Claude Gervais, answered questions.

At 5:04 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 5:44 p.m., the committee resumed.

At 5:44 p.m., the Honourable Senator Arnot took the chair.

Julie Lemieux answered questions.

At 5:55 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 6 p.m., the committee resumed.

Kevin Wagdin, Linda DuPont and Josée Filion answered questions.

At 6:12 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Vincent Labrosse

Clerk of the Committee