Evidence of meeting #19 for Justice and Human Rights in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was money.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Myles Kirvan  Deputy Minister, Department of Justice

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Ed Fast

Go ahead, Mr. Comartin.

12:50 p.m.

NDP

Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON

I just want to follow up on the point you made, Mr. Minister, about the difficulty of doing an assessment of how much the legislation is going to cost your department. How much reliance can we put on the figure of $33.5 million? How accurate is it?

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Rob Nicholson Conservative Niagara Falls, ON

Again, any time you try to make an estimate and gauge future behaviour it is very difficult. I know, for instance, that the department tells me on a regular basis about the cost to victims of crime. I was testifying on auto theft. It's $1.2 billion. When you've already had the damage, when you've already had the suffering, and you've already had the theft, it's easier to put a figure on that, but it is much more difficult...

Again, I always ask what the cost is when people are not being detained and they continue to offend and they continue to create more victims.

So you're right. It's very difficult. You're right, we did put an estimate in there. Again, the department, working with Public Safety--again, I don't have direct control over these things--works very hard to try to come up with that as best they can.

12:55 p.m.

NDP

Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON

With regard to the Teslin Tlingit agreement, are we going to finally get it signed this year?

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Rob Nicholson Conservative Niagara Falls, ON

Again, these are continuing efforts I've made. I've met with representatives of that group. I've certainly encouraged...and again, any announcement that would be made would be made at the time that a new agreement would take place--

12:55 p.m.

NDP

Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON

I guess the concern I have, Minister, just quickly...

I know that my time is just about up—

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Ed Fast

It is up, actually.

12:55 p.m.

NDP

Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON

--but what seems to be happening, Minister, is that your department is going over the same area. I'm not pointing the finger at you. Perhaps I should be saying this to the Deputy Minister. You're going over the same area that's been gone over by at least one other department, if not two, and you are raising the same issues.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Ed Fast

Unfortunately, there's no more time.

12:55 p.m.

NDP

Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON

I'll just leave it as a comment. Don't give a response.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Rob Nicholson Conservative Niagara Falls, ON

They're doing their best, and I'm proud to be associated with them.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Ed Fast

Members, we have the usual votes that have to be undertaken for the main estimates. You have before you the list.

I'm proposing we do it with one omnibus vote, except for the last one. Are you okay with that?

12:55 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Ed Fast

Shall votes 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 50, less the amount voted in interim supply, carry?

12:55 p.m.

NDP

Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON

I want to be recorded as opposed.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Ed Fast

Do you mean a recorded vote?

12:55 p.m.

NDP

Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON

No, I want to be recorded as opposed.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Ed Fast

Oh, all right.

Then we need a recorded vote.

12:55 p.m.

The Clerk of the Committee Ms. Miriam Burke

No, just show it as on division.

12:55 p.m.

NDP

Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON

We are still against your estimates. Are these estimates?

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Ed Fast

It's on the record. Do you want to do it on division?

12:55 p.m.

NDP

Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON

If you want to show it on division, I'm satisfied with that.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Ed Fast

Okay, we'll do it on division.

JUSTICE

Department

Vote 1--Operating expenditures...........$258,688,000

Vote 5--Grants and contributions..........$386,880,000

Canadian Human Rights Commission

Vote 10--Program expenditures..........$20,110,000

Canadian Human Rights Tribunal

Vote 15--Program expenditures..........$4,116,000

Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs

Vote 20--Operating expenditures..........$8,055,000

Vote 25--Canadian Judicial Council--Operating expenditures..........$1,608,000

Courts Administration Service

Vote 30--Program expenditures..........$53,333,000

Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions

Vote 35--Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions--Operating expenditures..........$142,862,000

Supreme Court of Canada

Vote 50--Program expenditures..........$21,632,000

(Votes 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 50 agreed to on division)

There's one more.

Shall the chair report votes 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 50 under Justice, less the amount voted in interim supply, to the House?

(Motion agreed to on division)

The meeting is adjourned.