Evidence of meeting #17 for Justice and Human Rights in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was pandemic.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Senior Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Policy Sector, Department of Justice
Do you mean of the private member's bill, Bill C-247?
Liberal
Senior Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Policy Sector, Department of Justice
No, but it is, as the sponsor has explained today, based on and heavily informed by the U.K.'s model, which is why I was directing you to United Kingdom resources, which I think might be helpful for you. The United Kingdom is the first country to have put into place a coercive control offence, and it therefore has the most literature associated with their offence.
Liberal
James Maloney Liberal Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON
I'm going to run out of time here in a second, and I have one broad question. Could you send us copies of the U.K. legislation and the Australian legislation and answer this question in writing, if you don't mind: how do you think this proposed bill could benefit from those two examples, and what are the similarities?
Senior Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Policy Sector, Department of Justice
What are the similarities between the different—?
Liberal
Senior Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Policy Sector, Department of Justice
—the three that are enacted in the United Kingdom, Scotland and Ireland?
Liberal
James Maloney Liberal Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON
No, you mentioned an Australian bill as well. I wouldn't mind having a comparison with that one too.
Senior Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Policy Sector, Department of Justice
That's not law in Australia. It's a bill.
Liberal
Senior Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Policy Sector, Department of Justice
Yes.
You would like, then, four pieces of legislation. Okay.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Iqra Khalid
I will take this opportunity now to thank the witnesses for your very compelling and very informative testimony and for answering questions. We greatly appreciate your being here. We look forward to receiving some of the written submissions we have identified through our members today, pursuant to the questions.
I also want to give a really big thank you to our IT people and interpreters for the challenges they dealt with today, and we still made this meeting work. I really appreciate it
Thanks go to the members also.
Just as a quick reminder before I adjourn, the remainder of the witness list per party is due by the end of the day today, so please make sure you get yours in.
Monsieur Fortin, I see your hand raised. Is it on a point of order?
Bloc
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
No, Madam Chair.
I think we could all get the documents the witness plans to send Mr. Maloney. I see there is agreement. I would like to see them as well.
Bloc
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
When you're done thanking the witnesses, I'd like to deal with my motion. Debate on the motion was adjourned at the beginning of the meeting, so we can deal with it now, at the end of the meeting.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Iqra Khalid
Thank you for that.
Just on the first question, the documents submitted by witnesses will be available in your digital binder, and you can access them. The clerk also makes it a point to email everybody the documents that we receive.
With that, thank you to the witnesses.
Mr. Virani, I see that your hand is raised. Is it on the same point?
Liberal
Arif Virani Liberal Parkdale—High Park, ON
We've had a pretty extensive study this morning, and it has gotten off to a very good start. I would move simply that we adjourn the meeting.
Bloc
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
I had initially moved that we hear the motion. We can go in order. I see that Mr. Virani doesn't want us to deal with my motion, but it's the committee's job to do so. He can vote against the motion, but eventually, we'll have to discuss it.
Liberal
The Clerk of the Committee Mr. Marc-Olivier Girard
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but Mr. Fortin is proposing that the committee resume debate on the motion he proposed at the beginning of the meeting. If so, it can be dealt with as a dilatory motion as well. It would be put to a vote immediately without further debate or amendment.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Iqra Khalid
Just to seek clarity, then, Mr. Clerk, Mr. Fortin's motion is dilatory. It's basically just asking for debate to resume on his motion.
The Clerk
That is correct. It would need to be voted on prior to Mr. Virani's motion, for instance.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Iqra Khalid
Okay. We'll call the vote, then.
The motion, so that members are clear, is to resume the debate on Mr. Fortin's motion.
(Motion negatived: nays 6; yeas 5)
Thank you very much.
Now we're going to move on to the dilatory motion presented by Mr. Virani, in which he moved to adjourn the meeting.
(Motion agreed to: yeas 6; nays 5)
Thank you very much.
Thank you, members, and thank you for a wonderful meeting.
The meeting is adjourned.