Evidence of meeting #18 for Justice and Human Rights in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was preamble.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Joanne Klineberg  Senior Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Department of Justice

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Housefather

Mr. Cooper.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB

Just to add to Mr. Fraser, yes, Mr. Rankin, Mr. Fraser, and I worked collaboratively to find a resolution to some of the concerns around conscience rights. I think this preamble makes it absolutely crystal clear as to what the intent of the amendment in the legislation is, which is to protect conscience rights.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Housefather

Perfect: on the record.

Is there any further debate?

Mr. Rankin, did you want to finish up?

Then we'll go to a vote on NDP-4.2.

(Amendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

Now, amendment CPC-37 from Mr. Viersen would conflict with NDP-4.2, which was just adopted, so CPC-37 is dropped.

Amendment NDP-7, from Mr. Rankin originally, would conflict with NDP-4.1, which was just adopted, I believe.

I'll turn to Mr. Rankin, but I would rule that these were two of the same purpose—

4:35 p.m.

NDP

Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC

I would agree.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Housefather

So that one is dropped.

Next we move to CPC-38 from Mr. Viersen.

Does anyone want to move Mr. Viersen's CPC-38? This would delete lines 13 to 23 on page 2. I'm not sure why.

I'll look to my Conservative colleagues.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

Ted Falk Conservative Provencher, MB

We don't have to.... It is actually a little bit in conflict with CPC-38.1.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Housefather

Nobody's moving it.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

Ted Falk Conservative Provencher, MB

No.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Housefather

Okay: so CPC-38 is not moved.

Let's go to CPC-38.1.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

Ted Falk Conservative Provencher, MB

Amendment CPC-38.1 relates to the second-last paragraph in the preamble. This amendment puts in a period on line 21, after the word “dying”, and deletes the balance of that paragraph.

The balance of that paragraph currently says, “namely situations giving rise to requests by mature minors, advance requests and requests where mental illness is the sole underlying medical condition;

I'd like to delete that from the preamble. I don't think it belongs there.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Housefather

This conflicts, by the way, with NDP-8. They are both on the same line.

Let's go to debate.

Mr. Fraser.

4:40 p.m.

Liberal

Colin Fraser Liberal West Nova, NS

I do not support the amendment. I believe the purpose of this “And whereas” clause in the preamble is to allude to the review provisions that are in the bill itself. Those do include the situations giving rise to requests from mature minors, advance requests, and requests dealing with mental illness.

I believe that was the purpose of putting it in the preamble in that fashion, and I believe it should stay. Deleting those three other cases would basically limit the scope of what was being attempted here in the preamble that I think is appropriate.

I would not support the amendment.

4:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Housefather

Mr. McKinnon.

4:40 p.m.

Liberal

Ron McKinnon Liberal Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC

I would agree once again with Mr. Fraser. I think it's important that the government's position that these are issues that need to be explored as a consequence of...around the whole problem of assistance in dying, that are not dealt with in this bill, but there is actually no commitment that they will in fact be done; it's just that they need to be looked at, they need to be studied, and they need to be recognized.

I will not support this amendment.

4:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Housefather

Is there any further debate or discussion?

If not, I'll go back to Mr. Falk.

4:40 p.m.

Conservative

Ted Falk Conservative Provencher, MB

In that paragraph a little earlier on, it actually does say “the Government of Canada has committed to develop”, and that's troubling. I mean, earlier in our discussions with the amendments, one of the amendments put forward was that the government is committed to doing a review, and to study, but it's not committed to developing regulations.

That's where I have a problem.

4:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Housefather

I think, though, it says “and explore other situations”. So that should tie to “explore other situations”, not “develop”.

4:40 p.m.

Conservative

Ted Falk Conservative Provencher, MB

It sure would be nicer if there was a period, then, because it does somewhat tie it to the first part of that lengthy sentence.

4:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Housefather

So if you were to put a period after the word “providers”, and say that the Government of Canada has also committed to explore other situations, would that satisfy what you're concerned about?

4:40 p.m.

Conservative

Ted Falk Conservative Provencher, MB

Well, it would, because that's what the amendment we passed yesterday stated.

4:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Housefather

That sounds perhaps like an easy fix, if you would agree to change that, to be what you're proposing....

Again, if the concern is a sentence, and you're afraid that the first sentence runs into the second, maybe—

4:40 p.m.

Liberal

Colin Fraser Liberal West Nova, NS

With respect, I don't think it was a grammatical thing that Mr. Falk was talking about.

Am I wrong on that?

4:40 p.m.

Conservative

Ted Falk Conservative Provencher, MB

Ideally, I'd like to take the entire sentence out. I guess that's really what the motion is.

4:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Housefather

Okay. But from what you said there, if your concern was that the words at the beginning tied in to “develop”, that would have been a fix.

4:40 p.m.

Liberal

Colin Fraser Liberal West Nova, NS

I get the point, but...