THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL AFFAIRS, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
OTTAWA, Tuesday, February 10, 2026
(24)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology met this day at 9 a.m., in room W120, 1 Wellington St., the chair, the Honourable Rosemary Moodie, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Arnold, Boudreau, Burey, Greenwood, Hay, McPhedran, Moodie, Muggli, Osler, Petitclerc and Senior (11).
Other senators present: The Honourable Senators Dean, Miville-Dechêne and Mohamed (3).
Participating in the meeting: Mayra Perez-Leclerc and Diana Ambrozas, Analysts, Library of Parliament.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, February 5, 2026, the committee continued its consideration of the subject matter of Parts 5, 6, 7 and 8 of Bill C-12, An Act respecting certain measures relating to the security of Canada's borders and the integrity of the Canadian immigration system and respecting other related security measures.
WITNESSES:
International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group:
Timothy McSorley, National Coordinator.
International Center for Human Rights:
Ardeshir Zarezadeh, Lawyer and Human Rights Activist.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees:
Azadeh Tamjeedi, Senior Legal Officer, UN Refugee Agency, in Canada.
Amnesty International Canada:
Julia Sande, Strategic Litigation, Refugee and Migrant Rights Campaigner.
Canadian Council for Refugees:
Gauri Sreenivasan, Co-Executive Director;
Basel Abou Hamrah, Vice President (by videoconference).
FCJ Refugee Centre:
Joshua Eisen, In-house Counsel (by videoconference).
Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers:
Adam Bercovitch Sadinsky, Vice President.
The Refugee Centre:
Alina Murad, Director of Federal Government Relations;
Jessica Ranger, Legal Administrator.
Migrant Rights Network:
Karen Cocq, Co-Executive Director.
Matthew House Refugee Services Toronto:
Anne Woolger, Founding Director.
Immigration and Refugee Legal Clinic:
Katie Lay, Staff Lawyer.
Community Legal Services of Ottawa:
Nadine Edirmanasinghe, Lawyer.
Timothy McSorley, Ardeshir Zarezadeh, Azadeh Tamjeedi and Julia Sande each made a statement and answered questions.
At 10:02 a.m., the committee suspended.
At 10:06 a.m., the committee resumed.
Gauri Sreenivasan, Basel Abou Hamrah, Joshua Eisen, Adam Bercovitch Sadinsky, Alina Murad and Jessica Ranger each made a statement and answered questions.
At 11:14 a.m., the committee suspended.
At 11:22 a.m., the committee resumed.
Anne Woolger, Katie Lay, Nadine Edirmanasinghe and Karen Cocq each made a statement and answered questions.
At 12:16 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 12:19 p.m., pursuant to rule 12-16(1)(d), the committee resumed in camera to discuss a draft agenda (future business).
It was agreed that staff be allowed to remain in the room for the in camera portion of today’s meeting.
It was agreed that the committee allow the audio recording and/or transcription 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 and/or staff, and that the audio recording and/or transcript be destroyed by the clerk of the committee when authorized to do so by the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, but no later than at the end of this parliamentary session.
At 12:40 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Ferda Simpson
Clerk of the Committee