Ladies and gentlemen, I call to order meeting number 76 of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. Today we're televised.
Our orders of the day are pursuant to the order of reference of Tuesday, May 28, 2013, Bill C-54, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the National Defence Act (mental disorder).
We have three panels and a number of witnesses today. As I said before to members of the committee, each presenter has been offered 10 minutes. I will be a little flexible on that but still make sure they get their presentations in. Then we will have questions. Then we'll go on to the next panel.
We have lost a little time, so we may run this one a couple of minutes past, just to make sure we hear everyone.
I want committee to be aware, so that there are no surprises, that we passed a motion on Monday of last week that independents could come to the committee and move amendments during clause-by-clause consideration. Amendments need to be in prior to that. They've asked whether they can come.
The precedent is this, and this is my ruling on it. They are more than welcome to sit at the table with us. They can listen to the discussion and the presentations. If a member of the committee from one of the recognized parties wants to share some of their time with independents, they're more than welcome to do so. I'll recognize that. Otherwise I'll need unanimous consent of the committee to provide a speaking turn to those individuals. When it comes to clause-by-clause study, I will provide approximately two minutes to those independent individuals to present their amendments, if they have any. They will not be voting, but they can present their amendments at that time.
That is the ruling. They have been made aware of that through correspondence.
Let's begin. We have two individuals and one organization. Ms. Isabelle Gaston is here as an individual. From the Canadian Psychiatric Association we have Mr. Paul Fedoroff. As an individual, we have Carol de Delley. We'll follow the names on the orders of the day.
Madame Gaston, you're first to speak to us. The floor is yours.