Health Committee on June 15th, 2020

[Sylvie Blanchet]

For the Parole Board of Canada, the risk assessment hasn't changed as a result of COVID-19. If cases are brought before us, we'll certainly take into consideration all the information provided.

I spoke earlier about cases of parole by exception. These may be the cases you were talking about.

The law hasn't changed. The risk assessment conducted by our members remains the same. The minister told you that he asked us to expedite the process. We expedited these processes.

Correctional Service Canada and the Parole Board of Canada worked together to expedite the process of obtaining a recommendation from the board for the release of the individual. The board's decision-making process remains based on risk assessment. The law hasn't changed.

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Ms. Blanchet, I want to address the release of Jimmy Bouchard a few weeks ago in the Chicoutimi area. The victim wasn't informed of his release.

In your statement, you said that all the processes were in place to ensure contact with the victims. In this situation, it seems that this didn't happen.

Can you confirm that all the victims are contacted before the parole hearing?

[Sylvie Blanchet]

I can confirm that the victims who registered with the board to receive the information are contacted. Certainly some victims don't know that they have access to the information from the Parole Board and Correctional Service Canada.

When victims are registered with the board, we contact them to ensure that they can participate in the process or that they can share their concerns regarding the offender's release conditions.

I can't assure you that all victims are registered because not all victims have registered with the board.

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Thank you, Ms. Blanchet.

Mr. Chair, I think that my time is coming to an end. I want to take this opportunity to formally move two motions submitted to the committee.

Can I do so now?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

It depends on the motion. The motions for which we received notices of motion can be moved now.

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Thank you.

These two motions were indeed submitted to the clerk a few days ago. The motions have already been before the committee.

I can read them, or you can ask the clerk to read them. It's up to you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Please move them. It's probably best to read them, and do them one at a time please.

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Perfect, Mr. Chair.

The text of the first motion is as follows:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(1)(a), the committee order all documents, specifically briefing notes, background documents, memos and emails, prepared for the Deputy Minister of Public Safety and the Minister of Public Safety regarding the closure of the Canada – United States border which first came into effect on March 21, 2020, and for each subsequent extension; and that these documents be provided no later than August 10, 2020.

The text of the second motion is as follows:

That Public Safety Canada provide the committee with the total number of RCMP, CBSA and Correctional officers infected with COVID-19, broken down by cohort and province, between March 11 and June 15, 2020, and that these statistics be presented to the committee no later than July 10, 2020.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Thank you, Mr. Paul-Hus.

I would ask members, if anyone wishes to speak to this, to use the “raise hand” function. I will try to deal with interventions as they arise.

Mr. Thériault.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

In terms of the two motions, which I believe were previously referred to as Mr. Kitchen's notices of motion, I think that the second motion is perfectly fine.

With respect to the first motion, we want to remove the reference to emails. That way, the motion regarding the border closure would be realistic in terms of the information that must be recorded. Emails may be somewhat relevant, and we could drown in this amount of information. I'd therefore move an amendment to the first motion:

That the motion be amended by deleting the words “and emails”.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Thank you. We'll only—

[Marcus Powlowski, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON]

Point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

One moment, please. We'll deal with one motion at a time.

I'm sorry. Whose point of order was that?

[Marcus Powlowski, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON]

It was mine, but I think you're getting to it, which is, can we do one at a time; otherwise, I'm confused as to which one is the first and which is the second. Can we do them one at a time?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

There is one motion on the floor at this time. That's the one on which we are debating and so forth. We now have an amendment put forward by Mr. Thériault. Debate will now be on the amendment.

Mr. Thériault has moved to amend the original motion by dropping the words “and emails”. Is there any discussion on this?

I see that Mr. Fisher has his hand up.

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you, Mr. Thériault, for that suggestion, which I fully agree with and will support.

Mr. Chair, I'm sorry to be seeking clarity here, but Mr. Paul-Hus moved two motions. Are we only dealing with the first motion that he put forward in the name of Mr. Kitchen on the closure of the Canada-United States border? Is that the only motion we're dealing with at this point? Will we pass or not pass that particular motion and then will we deal with the second motion today as well, while our witnesses are here?

I'd just like some clarity.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Yes. Mr. Paul-Hus mentioned both motions. He only moved one.

He moved the one regarding the border closure, so we will be dealing with the motions when moved, one at a time.

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Chair, I read two motions. The first concerned information on the border closure, and the second concerned the health of officers working for the RCMP and border services.

We can look at the first motion, which concerns the border closure. We're currently debating the amendment proposed by the Bloc Québécois regarding emails.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

You may have mentioned both motions, but we can only deal with one at a time. I believe that you actually moved the one on border closures. We are dealing with that motion, and there is an amendment to that motion made by Mr. Thériault to drop the words “and emails” from the text.

On the amendment, Mr. Fisher, your hand is still up.

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Yes, I am again just seeking clarity on this.

We have one motion on the floor and there is now an amendment. That is what we are speaking to, not to the motion, but only to the amendment and whether we support it. The debate will be on the amendment by Mr. Thériault. Is that correct?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

That is correct.

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

If we have other amendments that we would like to make, we would make them after we deal with Mr. Thériault's amendment.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

That is correct. Once we vote on Mr. Thériault's amendment, whichever way that vote goes, that will be the new motion. Then we can amend it further if desired.

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm happy to come back with potential further amendments.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Thank you, Mr. Fisher.

We will go now to Mr. Jeneroux.