Evidence of meeting #45 for Justice and Human Rights in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was question.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Claudette Rondeau  Special Advisor and Legislative Counsel, Office of the Chief Legislative Counsel, Department of Justice
Jean-Charles Bélanger  Deputy Chief Legislative Counsel, Legislation Section, Department of Justice
Julie Ladouceur  Legislative Counsel, Legislation Section , Department of Justice

3:50 p.m.

Special Advisor and Legislative Counsel, Office of the Chief Legislative Counsel, Department of Justice

Claudette Rondeau

The actual wording—I've seen some of the correspondence and sometimes they suggest wording. We don't always follow exactly what's suggested, but either they will make suggestions to fix it or they suggest wording.

3:50 p.m.

Conservative

Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON

Would it be possible for you to advise us as to which of these proposed amendments were suggested in some way by the committee on scrutiny of regulations? I'm just trying to save us time. If our colleagues on the committee on scrutiny of regulations have already, in a bipartisan way, suggested changes, then that probably is good enough for us and we can move on to the ones that they didn't study.

3:50 p.m.

Special Advisor and Legislative Counsel, Office of the Chief Legislative Counsel, Department of Justice

Claudette Rondeau

Yes, I can. I'm kind of thrilled with this question because in the cases where, to our knowledge, the recommendation came from the standing joint committee, we did mention it in the descriptive notes, and I can always provide a list of the—

3:50 p.m.

Conservative

Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON

They are here in the explanatory notes.

3:50 p.m.

Special Advisor and Legislative Counsel, Office of the Chief Legislative Counsel, Department of Justice

Claudette Rondeau

Yes, it will be in here, and I can always provide a list of which clauses as well.

3:50 p.m.

Conservative

Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON

Can you tell us just generally what percentage or how many of them have gone through the scrutiny of regulations committee?

3:50 p.m.

Special Advisor and Legislative Counsel, Office of the Chief Legislative Counsel, Department of Justice

Claudette Rondeau

I'll have to check and get back to you.

3:50 p.m.

Conservative

Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON

All right.

3:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Mike Wallace

Is there anything else? There are questioners—

3:50 p.m.

Conservative

Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON

I have specific questions about some of the changes, but I'll let the other members of the committee ask questions.

3:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Mike Wallace

Okay.

Mr. Casey.

3:50 p.m.

Liberal

Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

First of all, for whoever did the detailed work involved in this, my compliments and respect. To repeat what Mr. Goguen said, it's clearly something that requires a great deal of detail and patience. If it's you, well done, and if it's those who work under you, please pass along our regards.

I have two specific questions. The first one relates to something that you said in your statement, and I just want to make sure that I understood it.

From what I understand, there are no more beneficiaries of the South African War.

But I read in here the explanatory notes reference the fact that there are no longer veterans.

I just want to be real clear. Having served on the veterans committee, I am aware that there are benefits paid to survivors of veterans, that when we eliminate the reference to the South African veterans, we are not going to get into any problem with the survivors of.... I understood that to be what you said in French when you said, “il n'y a plus de bénéficiaires”, which would be different than—

3:55 p.m.

Deputy Chief Legislative Counsel, Legislation Section, Department of Justice

Jean-Charles Bélanger

You mean beneficiaries for the provisions. That is what we were told by Veterans Affairs.

3:55 p.m.

Special Advisor and Legislative Counsel, Office of the Chief Legislative Counsel, Department of Justice

Claudette Rondeau

We received confirmation from the Department of Veterans Affairs that there are no more beneficiaries of the benefits targeted by these before we included it.

3:55 p.m.

Liberal

Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE

So, it's further down?

3:55 p.m.

Special Advisor and Legislative Counsel, Office of the Chief Legislative Counsel, Department of Justice

3:55 p.m.

Liberal

Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE

The only other question I had was with respect to the grain board, section 2.

My question relates to the fiscal year of the grain board. Actually, this is in part an answer to Madam Boivin's question because this arises out of the Budget Implementation Act of 2012.

My question is, can we be certain that we are not eliminating the grain transportation agency administrator before the end of their last fiscal year?

3:55 p.m.

Special Advisor and Legislative Counsel, Office of the Chief Legislative Counsel, Department of Justice

Claudette Rondeau

My understanding is that it no longer exists. The act under which it was established was repealed by the Budget Implementation Act, 1995.

3:55 p.m.

Liberal

Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE

Oh, 1995. Thank you.

3:55 p.m.

Special Advisor and Legislative Counsel, Office of the Chief Legislative Counsel, Department of Justice

Claudette Rondeau

The exact reference is in the notes.

3:55 p.m.

Liberal

Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE

I thought I saw 12.

3:55 p.m.

Special Advisor and Legislative Counsel, Office of the Chief Legislative Counsel, Department of Justice

Claudette Rondeau

I found the information for which clauses address issues raised by the standing joint committee. There are 12 of them. I can read them off if you want.

3:55 p.m.

Conservative

Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON

If you can supply the list to the clerk that would be fine.

3:55 p.m.

Special Advisor and Legislative Counsel, Office of the Chief Legislative Counsel, Department of Justice

Claudette Rondeau

Yes. I can do that.

3:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Mike Wallace

Madame Boivin.