Skip to content

Opens in a new window Parliament of Canada

Visit Parliament

Visit

Français

Senators

Senators

Canada’s 105 senators give regions and underrepresented groups a strong voice in Parliament.

Go to Senators

List of Senators

Contact Information

Standings

Parliamentary Diplomacy

The Speaker

Biography

Role of the Speaker

Rulings and Statements

News & Events

Contact

Chamber

Chamber

Read or watch the latest Senate debates and see how senators represent you in Parliament.

Go to Chamber

Order Paper and Notice Paper

Journals of the Senate

Debates of the Senate (Hansard)

Votes

LEGISinfo

Watch & Listen

Calendar

Procedural References

Rules of the Senate

Companion to the Rules of the Senate

Procedural Notes

Speaker's Rulings

Senate Procedure in Practice

Committees

Committees

Senate committees perform in-depth studies of bills and investigate issues that matter to you.

Go to Committees

Business

Schedule of All Meetings

Studies & Bills

Reports

Members of Subcommittees on Agenda and Procedure

Get Involved

For Witnesses

Media Centre

Committee Alerts

eNewsletter

Resources

About Committees

Watch & Listen

LEGISinfo

Procedural References

News

News

Stay up to date with Senate activities and find articles about the Senate’s people, history and procedure.

Go to News

News Releases

Media Advisories

Media Centre

SenCA+

People

News

Opinion

How & Why

About

About

Find procedural references, financial reports and information about the rehabilitation of Parliament Hill.

Go to About

The Senate Explained

Art & Architecture

Artwork & Heritage

Online Collection

Architecture & Rehabilitation

Transparency & Accountability

Financial Reports

Senators' Attendance

Administration & Support

Accessibility

Visit

Virtual tours

Careers

Page Program

Student Employment Program

Resources

Publications

Photo Gallery

Procedural References

Publications

Participate

Participate

Find out how you can visit the Senate, engage with its work and follow Senate proceedings.

Go to Participate

SENgage

Model Senate

Visit

Virtual tours

Watch & Listen

LEGISinfo

Committee Witnesses

Committee Alerts

eNewsletter

Contact Us

Search

SECD - Standing Committee

National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs

Menu - SECD

Home

About

Membership

Meetings

Business

Business

Studies & Bills

Briefs & other documents

Reports

Search transcripts

Witnesses

News

Past Session:

44-1

44 th Parliament, 1 st Session

(November 22, 2021 - January 6, 2025)

Select a different session

45 th Parliament

1 st Session

(May 26, 2025 - Present)

44 th Parliament

1 st Session

(November 22, 2021 - January 6, 2025)

43 rd Parliament

2 nd Session

(September 23, 2020 - August 15, 2021)

1 st Session

(December 5, 2019 - August 18, 2020)

42 nd Parliament

1 st Session

(December 3, 2015 - September 11, 2019)

41 st Parliament

2 nd Session

(October 16, 2013 - August 2, 2015)

1 st Session

(June 2, 2011 - September 13, 2013)

40 th Parliament

3 rd Session

(March 3, 2010 - March 26, 2011)

2 nd Session

(January 26, 2009 - December 30, 2009)

1 st Session

(November 18, 2008 - December 4, 2008)

39 th Parliament

2 nd Session

(October 16, 2007 - September 7, 2008)

1 st Session

(April 3, 2006 - September 14, 2007)

38 th Parliament

1 st Session

(October 4, 2004 - November 28, 2005)

37 th Parliament

3 rd Session

(February 2, 2004 - May 23, 2004)

2 nd Session

(September 30, 2002 - November 12, 2003)

1 st Session

(January 29, 2001 - September 16, 2002)

36 th Parliament

2 nd Session

(October 12, 1999 - October 22, 2000)

1 st Session

(September 22, 1997 - September 18, 1999)

35 th Parliament

2 nd Session

(February 27, 1996 - April 27, 1997)

1 st Session

(January 17, 1994 - February 2, 1996)

Download as PDF

THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL SECURITY, DEFENCE AND VETERANS AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Monday, June 10, 2024

(56) [ English ]

The Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs met this day at 2 p.m., in room C128, Senate of Canada Building, the deputy chair, the Honourable Jean-Guy Dagenais, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Anderson, Boehm, Cardozo, Carignan, P.C., Dagenais, Dalphond, Dasko, Deacon ( Ontario ), Dean, Kutcher, Patterson, Richards and Yussuff (13).

Other senators present: The Honourable Senators Housakos, Miville-Dechêne, Simons, Woo and Lankin, P.C. (5).

Participating in the meeting: Andrea Mugny, Acting Co-clerk of the Committee, Martine Willox and Maya D. Zeinali, Legislative Clerks, Committees Directorate; Ariel Shapiro and Anne-Marie Therrien-Tremblay, analysts, Library of Parliament.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, the committee began its consideration of the subject matter of Bill C-70,

An Act respecting countering foreign interference.

WITNESSES:

Democracy Watch:

Duff Conacher, Co-Founder ( by videoconference ).

Canadian Civil Liberties Association:

Shakir Rahim, Director, Criminal Justice Program ( by videoconference );

Anaïs Bussières McNicoll, Director of the Fundamental Freedoms Program and Interim Director of the Privacy Program ( by videoconference ).

Hong Kong Watch:

Katherine Leung, Policy Advisor ( by videoconference ).

National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians:

The Honourable David McGuinty, P.C., M.P., Chair;

The Honourable Senator Frances Lankin, P.C., Member;

Alex Ruff, Member of Parliament, Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, Member.

Secretariat of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians:

Lisa-Marie Inman, Executive Director.

As individuals:

Michael Kempa, Professor, Criminology department, University of Ottawa.

Wesley Wark, Senior Fellow, Centre for International Governance Innovation.

Michelle Tessier, Senior Fellow, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa ( by videoconference );

Richard Fadden, Former National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada and Former Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service;

Daniel Stanton, Former Intelligence Officer, Canadian Security Intelligence Service;

Balpreet Singh Boparai, Legal Counsel, World Sikh Organization of Canada ( by videoconference );

Sherap Therchin, Executive Director, Canada Tibet Committee;

Mehmet Tohti, Executive Director, Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project.

Michael Kempa made a statement.

At 2:09 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 2:10 p.m., the committee resumed.

Michael Kempa and Wesley Wark each made a statement and answered questions.

At 3:04 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 3:13 p.m., the committee resumed.

Richard Fadden, Daniel Stanton, Michelle Tessier and Duff Conacher each made a statement and answered questions.

At 4:14 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 4:24 p.m., the committee resumed.

Shakir Rahim, Anaïs Bussières McNicoll and Balpreet Singh Boparai made statements and answered questions.

At 5 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 5:32 p.m., the committee resumed.

Mehmet Tohti, Sherap Therchin and Katherine Leung each made a statement and answered questions.

At 6:31 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 7 p.m., the committee resumed.

The Honourable David McGuinty, P.C. made a statement and, together with the Honourable Senator Frances Lankin, P.C., Alex Ruff and Lisa-Marie Inman, answered questions.

At 8:35 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Karine Déquier

Acting Clerk of the Committee

Back to top