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44 th Parliament, 1 st Session

(November 22, 2021 - January 6, 2025)

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THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Thursday, November 23, 2023

(82) [ English ]

The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs met this day at 11:51 a.m., in room B30, Senate of Canada Building, the chair, the Honourable Brent Cotter, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Batters, Boisvenu, Busson, Clement, Cotter, Dalphond, Dasko, Dupuis, Pate, Prosper and Simons (11).

Other senators present: The Honourable Senators Carignan, P.C., Dagenais and McNair (3).

Participating in the meeting: Aoife Mc Donald, Administrative Assistant, Committees Directorate; Michaela Keenan-Pelletier and Iryna Zazulya, analysts, Library of Parliament.

The committee considered a draft special expenses budget application for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024.

It was agreed that the following special expenses budget application, for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, be approved for submission to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration:

GENERAL EXPENSES $6,000

TOTAL $6,000

At 11:53 a.m., pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, November 3, 2022, the committee continued its consideration of Bill S-231,

An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Criminal Records Act, the National Defence Act and the DNA Identification Act.

WITNESSES:

The Honourable Senator Claude Carignan, P.C., sponsor of the bill.

National DNA Data Bank Advisory Committee:

Frederick R. Bieber, Bio-Medical Ethics Expert, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Pathology ( by videoconference );

Derrill Prevett, Legal Expert, Forensic DNA ( by videoconference ).

Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police:

Stephen Smith, Detective Sergeant, Homicide and Missing Persons Unit, Toronto Police Service;

Andrew Chan, Acting Deputy Chief, Vancouver Police Department.

The Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C., made a statement and answered questions.

At 12:51 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 12:56 p.m., the committee resumed.

Derrill Prevett and Andrew Chan each made a statement and, together with Frederick R. Bieber and Stephen Smith, answered questions.

At 1:36 p.m., pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Wednesday, September 27, 2023, the committee continued its consideration of Bill S-13,

An Act to amend the

Interpretation Act and to make related amendments to other Acts.

The committee considered a draft report.

At 1:47 p.m., the committee discussed a draft agenda (future business)

The committee discussed the ordering of next bills to be considered by the committee.

After debate, the Honourable Senator Batters moved that Bill C-291 be next considered by the committee.

After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was negatived on the following vote:

YEAS

The Honourable Senators

Batters, Boisvenu, Busson – 3

NAYS

The Honourable Senators

Clement, Cotter, Dupuis, Pate, Prosper, Simons – 6

ABSTENTION

The Honourable Senator

Dalphond – 1

At 1:55 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Vincent Labrosse

Clerk of the Committee

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