Evidence of meeting #23 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 report.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Bernard Richard  Ombudsman and Child and Youth Advocate, New Brunswick Office of the Ombudsman
Kathy Vandergrift  Chairperson, Board of Directors, Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children
Miguel LeBlanc  Executive Director, New Brunswick Association of Social Workers
Merri-Lee Hanson  Social Worker, New Brunswick Association of Social Workers
Cécile Toutant  Criminologist, Youth program, Institut Philippe-Pinel de Montréal

12:55 p.m.

Chairperson, Board of Directors, Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children

Kathy Vandergrift

Not entirely, and that would probably be a more detailed analysis, but it certainly took a strong step forward in that direction. So we were supportive when those steps were made.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON

Okay. I think you mentioned that the United Nations made a recommendation to Canada in 2003. Is that correct?

12:55 p.m.

Chairperson, Board of Directors, Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children

Kathy Vandergrift

In 2003 the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child made a number of recommendations to Canada to better implement the convention, including recommendations for the youth justice system. We would like to see Canada respond to those recommendations. It has not done so in its third and fourth reports.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON

So the United Nations responded to the Government of Canada in 2003, or made that recommendation.

12:55 p.m.

Chairperson, Board of Directors, Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children

Kathy Vandergrift

That is correct.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON

Did your organization make any recommendation at that time or subsequently?

12:55 p.m.

Chairperson, Board of Directors, Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children

Kathy Vandergrift

We did. We were part of those hearings at the UN committee.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON

I'm sorry—in that same year, 2003?

12:55 p.m.

Chairperson, Board of Directors, Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON

So the government of that day was in receipt of your recommendation—

12:55 p.m.

Chairperson, Board of Directors, Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children

Kathy Vandergrift

That is correct.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON

—that the YCJA should be amended, but they didn't, in fact, do that, did they?

12:55 p.m.

Chairperson, Board of Directors, Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children

Kathy Vandergrift

That is correct.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON

Okay, thank you.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Ed Fast

Thank you very much.

Just for clarification, the name of the report I referred to is Report on National Invitational Symposium on Youth Justice Renewal. Mr. Woodworth asked us to clarify that.

I wanted to thank the witnesses for appearing before us today. Your testimony is helpful as we move forward in our consideration of Bill C-4.

Thank you.

We're adjourned.