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Past Session:

44-1

44 th Parliament, 1 st Session

(November 22, 2021 - January 6, 2025)

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THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL AFFAIRS, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Wednesday, March 23, 2022

(9) [ English ]

Pursuant to the order of the Senate of November 25, 2021, the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology met this day in room B30, Senate of Canada Building, and with videoconference, at 4 p.m. ET, the deputy chair, the Honourable Patricia Bovey, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Bovey, Dasko, Kutcher, Patterson and Petitclerc (5).

Members of the committee present by videoconference: The Honourable Senators Bernard, Lankin, P.C., McPhedran, Moodie, Poirier and Verner, P.C. (6).

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

Other senators present by videoconference: The Honourable Senator Loffreda (1).

Participating in the meeting : Andrea Mugny, Procedural Clerk, Sébastien Payet, Legislative Clerk, Marc-André Lanthier and Lori Meldrum, administrative assistants, Committees Directorate; Laura Blackmore, Analyst, Library of Parliament.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Wednesday, December 8, 2021, the committee began its consideration of Bill S-203,

An Act respecting a federal framework on autism spectrum disorder.

WITNESSES:

The Honourable Senator Leo Housakos, sponsor of the bill.

Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorders Alliance:

Jonathan Lai, Executive Director (by videoconference);

Deepa Singal, Director of Scientific and Data Initiatives (by videoconference).

Autism Canada:

Dermot Cleary, Board Chair (by videoconference);

Paul Finch, Director (by videoconference).

Nishnawbe Aski Nation :

Anna Betty Achneepineskum, Deputy Grand Chief (by videoconference).

Nishnawbe Aski Nation Autism Spectrum Disorder Action Group

Beedahbin Desmoulin, Manager of Child Development (by videoconference);

Wendy Arseneault, Director of Child Development (by videoconference).

As individuals:

Dr. Evdokia Anagnostou, Canada Research Chair in Translational Therapeutics in Autism Spectrum Disorder (by videoconference);

The Honourable Jim Munson, former senator (by videoconference).

The Honourable Senator Housakos and the Honourable Jim Munson each made a statement and answered questions.

At 4:27 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 4:29 p.m., the committee resumed.

Jonathan Lai, Deepa Singal and Dermot Cleary each made a statement.

At 4:38 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 4:39 p.m., the committee resumed.

Paul Finch made a statement and, together with Jonathan Lai, Deepa Singal and Dermot Cleary, answered questions.

At 5:13 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 5:15 p.m., the committee resumed.

Beedahbin Desmoulin and Evdokia Anagnostou each made a statement and, together with Anna Betty Achneepineskum and Wendy Arseneault, answered questions.

At 5:58 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Daniel Charbonneau

Clerk of the Committee

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