I call the meeting to order. This is the 19th meeting of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. Today is Monday, May 4, 2009.
You have before you the agenda for today. By order of reference, we still have before us Bill C-15, An Act to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts.
We have before us a number of organizations and individuals to assist us in our study of this bill. We have Hugh Lampkin and Ann Livingston, representing the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users; Deborah Small, from Break the Chains; Kirk Tousaw, representing the BC Civil Liberties Association; and Gord Perks, representing the Toronto Drug Strategy Implementation Panel. We also have Jerome Paradis, of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP); Philippe Lucas, of the Vancouver Island Compassion Society and Canadians for Safe Access; and finally, Eugene Oscapella from the University of Ottawa.
Welcome to all of you.
We'll begin with Mr. Hugh Lampkin.