Bill C-523 (Historical)

An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (certificate and special advocate) and to make consequential amendments to other Acts

This bill was last introduced in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session, which ended in September 2008.

Sponsor

Omar Alghabra  Liberal

Introduced as a private member’s bill. (These don’t often become law.)

Status

Outside the Order of Precedence (a private member's bill that hasn't yet won the draw that determines which private member's bills can be debated), as of March 4, 2008
(This bill did not become law.)

Summary

This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament often publishes better independent summaries.

This enactment amends the provisions of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act relating to the security certificate process to ensure that
(a) all relevant information or evidence will be provided to the court and the special advocate;
(b) the special advocate will have continued access to the person named in the certificate;
(c) evidence will be disclosed to the person named in the certificate in a manner consistent with section 38.11 of the Canada Evidence Act;
(d) the person named in the certificate will have a role in choosing his or her special advocate;
(e) the special advocate will be sufficiently independent of government;
(f) the special advocate will owe a duty of confidentiality to the person named in the certificate;
(g) evidence obtained by torture or cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment will not be allowed;
(h) there will be limits on indefinite detention; and
(i) the special advocate function will be extended to proceedings under section 38.11 of the Canada Evidence Act.

Elsewhere

All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.

Immigration and Refugee Protection ActRoutine Proceedings

March 4th, 2008 / 10:05 a.m.


See context

Liberal

Omar Alghabra Liberal Mississauga—Erindale, ON

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-523, An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (certificate and special advocate) and to make consequential amendments to other Acts.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to table a bill to amend security certificates after the Conservative government chose to suffocate debate on Bill C-3, which has just passed. Even Conservative Senator Nolin acknowledged that he had to hold his nose and adopt that bill because of the lack of time provided by the government.

Witnesses before legislative committees provided us with compelling evidence on why the law formerly known as Bill C-3 is flawed. This debate is not over. Canadians deserve a more fulsome discussion. This is my contribution to the debate. It is based on recommendations I gathered from legal experts.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)