Justice Committee on Feb. 20th, 2007

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

Ms. Jennings.

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

I am aware that the government wishes to move in a prompt fashion on another bill on our agenda, which is Bill C-22. Do you wish for us to complete this discussion before we get to that point?

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

I want to finish Monsieur Ménard's point first.

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

Very good.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

Mr. Moore.

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

I'm wondering if Mr. Ménard is open to having a session on Bill C-53 after the Easter recess in April, in addition to our usual meetings—a third meeting in one week.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

Mr. Moore, you are being a real little toad! You know how the committee works. We had agreed to do that as part of our regular work. Nevertheless, I know that you have had a hard day today and that you are hurting inside because you have been severely reprimanded.

So, very exceptionally, and to further the salvation of my soul, I will grant this to you. But it is really because you are feeling badly, because I believe that that should be done as part of the committee work. Nevertheless, I do understand that this has been a difficult day for you. I will therefore give my consent, Mr. Chairman, for redemptive purposes, but this must not become a habit or precedent.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

Mr. Ménard, I don't believe there is any redemption for you.

Mr. Comartin.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

I would like a vote on that, Mr. Chairman.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Joe Comartin, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

You'd probably get unanimous support for that, Mr. Chair, at least from the rest of the committee, with the exception of Mr. Ménard.

The government has taken the position that there's going to be a special legislative committee on Bill C-35. They will be having meetings and will probably be starting at that time. So it's going to be very difficult for this committee to have additional meetings. Some of us will also be on that legislative committee.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

Bill C-35 is on reverse onus and bail.

[Joe Comartin, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

For the committee's purposes, the legislative committee cannot meet at the same time as this justice committee.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

Mr. Moore.

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

I think we could work our schedules around that for one additional meeting at some point. I'm interested in having a meeting, but there's a lot of work that this committee is doing. I don't think it would be a problem for one week.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

On Bill C-53 and Mr. Ménard's point, I think we can have further discussions at committee and bring it to a conclusion later. We'll do our best to work around it. I think Bill C-53 is finished now.

Ms. Jennings.

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

It concerns in part

the motion dealing with the judicial appointment process that Mr. Ménard tabled.

I must say that we Liberals are completely in agreement with having the committee review the judicial appointment process. Nevertheless, we do have some concerns about the part of his motion that states:

That, as soon as the study of Bill C-18 is completed, the Committee devote three sessions to hearing witnesses who will inform the Committee of the consequences the government's proposed changes will have on the integrity of the legal system.

Other bills at second-reading-stage have been referred to the committee, such as Bill C-22, which pertains to the age of consent. We would prefer to continue the second-reading stage study. Once we have completed our study on Bill C-18, we will begin looking at Bill C-22.

Once again, we would have been receptive to the idea of striking a legislative committee to review Bill C-22, in order to allow the committee, for instance, to review the judicial appointment process. That would avoid a slowdown of the work we're doing in committee and allow us to comply with the objective, stated many times by the government, of reviewing the whole issue of the age of consent.

I am therefore wondering if the government could demonstrate some openness—first of all, we would need the consent of our colleagues from the two opposition parties, the Bloc and the NDP—to have Bill C-22 referred to a legislative committee rather than this committee.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

Mr. Moore.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

On a point of order, Mr. Chairman.

I was under the impression that we would not be discussing my motion until tomorrow. I have no objection to debating it now, but I would point out that this is against the rules. I understand that we are agreeing to debate—

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

We're not debating your motion, Mr. Ménard.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

Yes, we are debating that—

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

The issue Ms. Jennings brought up was to seek from the government a desire to have a legislative committee look at Bill C-22.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

When you give me the floor, I will give my opinion on the matter.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

Go ahead, Mr. Moore.

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

I think, Mr. Chair, that Bill C-22 has already been referred to this committee. Obviously I'm not prepared to answer that question at this point anyway, because that's a decision the House leaders make, but I would want members to bear in mind that Bill C-22 certainly falls within the purview of this committee, for one thing, and for another, we are already dealing with another justice bill in a legislative committee.

I know that would stretch some people extremely thin, because they'd possibly be on three committees. I would prefer that we deal with Bill C-22, which is a bill that was referred to this committee, as soon as possible.