I call the meeting to order.
This is meeting number 53 of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. Today is Wednesday, December 9, 2009.
You have before you the agenda for today. We'll be dealing with a number of issues. We'll begin by completing our review of Bill C-52.
We expect to go to clause-by-clause on this bill at our first meeting in the new year, on Tuesday, January 26. Committee members may want to take note of the fact that our meeting schedule in the new year has at least tentatively been changed to Tuesday and Thursday, not Monday and Wednesday, so our first meeting would be on January 26.
We have with us today a number of additional witnesses on Bill C-52. Then we'll move on, in our second half of the meeting, to hear Mr. Scott Andrews, who is the sponsor of Bill C-464, an act to amend the Criminal Code (justification for detention in custody).
At the end of our meeting, we'll undertake some committee business. It shouldn't take long. There are two items, and hopefully we'll get through those. I've asked the clerk to distribute a copy of the steering committee report, together with the budget for our travel to Winnipeg and Edmonton, so that you can review it ahead of time and so that we can deal with it in an expeditious manner at the end of this meeting.
Now we'll move to our review and consideration of Bill C-52. As listed on the agenda, we have a number of individuals as witnesses. We have Janet Watson, Mike Miles, Melanie Johannink, and Larry Elford. We also have, representing the Earl Jones Victims Organizing Committee, Joey Davis. We have, representing the Investor Recovery Pool Committee, Brenda MacMillan. We don't have someone from the Department of Justice yet. They may be coming.
In any event, we'll move forward with our witnesses. I think each of you has been told how much time you have to speak. Perhaps we'll start as listed on the agenda.
Ms. Watson, if you would, please start.