QUESTION PERIOD — Justice
Progress of Legislation
November 7, 2023
My question is for Senator Gold.
On October 24, Senator Dennis Patterson asked you a question about whether the government was seeking an extension to the Supreme Court of Canada’s deadline on Bill S-12. You replied saying that we should respect the deadline. Two days later, you informed the Senate that a three-month extension was granted.
We know extensions don’t happen overnight. Senator Gold, when did the Attorney General of Canada first give notice and apply to the Supreme Court for an extension? When were you informed? Finally, were you happy with the process?
Thank you for your question. Let me begin by referring back to my intervention at the message stage on Bill S-12. On Thursday, October 26, I advised the chamber that my office was subsequently informed that for contingency purposes, the government did, indeed, seek an extension of the deadline as a responsible course of action in the event that things did not work out as part of the parliamentary process.
As you know, the court granted the extension. I was informed of this the next day, prior to the start of the sitting and our debate, and I immediately informed all leaders to that effect.
As it turns out, the existence of the motion for an extension was, in fact, part of the public record and readily accessible online to any interested person, any Canadian or, indeed, any parliamentarian, where their office could have checked the record of the case on the Supreme Court website. We did not, and I’m afraid others did not either.
That said, I’ve brought your concerns to the attention of the government. Efforts will be made in the future to ensure that this chamber is more readily made aware of legislation that may be subject to court-imposed deadlines.
Thank you.
