Justice Committee on May 17th, 2007

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

I'm talking about cities like Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton.

[Brian Saunders]

We have regional offices in those places, but we're talking about northern Alberta, northern Saskatchewan.

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Beauséjour, NB]

Sussex, New Brunswick?

[Brian Saunders]

In New Brunswick, we don't have a regional office, but we have agents in New Brunswick.

We do have a system of agent supervisors overseeing the agents and trying to ensure that these types of problems don't occur. If they do occur, we do take measures to address them. We can't guarantee there won't be problems in the future, but we do our best to have a system in place so that the problems are identified and are addressed.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

Well, I certainly know of some pending initiatives or charges on the federal side that are coming up, and undoubtedly your office will play a role in them. I'm really interested in seeing how all of this is going to work itself out, if it's in the interests of the public or greater good. Obviously, there are going to be some decisions made on your part to make sure that happens.

Thank you.

I don't see any other questions.

I would like to thank the members of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for your attendance here. We appreciate it. I think there have been some good questions and we very much appreciate the information given.

Thank you very much.

We'll suspend for one minute.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

I call the committee back to order.

Our next order of business is a notice of motion by Marlene Jennings.

Ms. Jennings, you have the floor.

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

I'd like to move the following motion:

Whereas public concerns have been raised with regard to section 462.34(4) of the Criminal Code (Application for review of special warrants and restraint orders);

Whereas section 462.34 can by judicial order allow alleged criminals to pay their lawyers out of money seized from them by police;

Whereas this practice is not regulated by clear criteria;

Whereas there has been little public scrutiny of this practice;

It is therefore proposed that:

1. The House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights study section 462.34 of the Criminal Code and its application, this after its study of Bill C-23 comes to a close;

2. That the Committee dedicate a minimum of 2 sessions to this study;

3. That the Chair of the Committee report its findings to the House.

I have an amendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

Is it a friendly one?

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

It is a friendly one proposed by Mr. Rob Moore, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice. It would amend point 2 to read:

That the committee dedicate at least one (1) session to this study.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

That's it? That's the amendment?

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

That's it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

Mr. Moore.

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

That's fine.

[An hon. member]

Call the question.

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

Considering it was my idea to amend it, I guess I have to agree.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

Can we ask a question, Mr. Chairman?

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, St. Catharines, ON]

I'm trying to get along and make this move forward.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

I would like to ask just a brief question, Mr. Chairman.

Does Ms. Jennings want—

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

Mr. Ménard, it is a friendly amendment.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

It is a friendly committee, and you are a friendly chair, Mr. Speaker.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Mr.Réal Ménard]

Ms. Jennings, do you wish to do a study between now and the summer break or do you think it could be done in the fall rather?

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

I will leave this decision up to the discretion of the steering committee. Obviously, if it were possible to hold the meeting before the summer break, I would be delighted. Moreover, should the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure feel that this would be difficult, I would be prepared to agree to hold the meeting in the fall.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

All right.

[The Chair, Conservative, Art Hanger]

Well, we appreciate the fact that you're so flexible on this, Madam Jennings. I can see that our calendar is definitely filled through the 12th, 14th, and possibly the 19th of June. Since you are flexible enough to put it into the fall, I think that is when it would be more likely to occur.

(Motion agreed to)