Justice Committee on May 31st, 2023

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Thank you very much.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Do you want me to read the amendment out? Do you want me to make it very clear? I think everyone has it in front of them.

[The Chair, Liberal, Randeep Sarai]

I think they all have it.

Seeing no debate, shall NDP-12 carry?

We have two yeas, and the rest are nays.

Are you okay if we do it on division?

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

It's defeated on division.

(Amendment negatived on division [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[The Chair, Liberal, Randeep Sarai]

Now we're on NDP-13.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Again, this is the same, but we are now looking at making sure there is an amicus curiae who is there. This is setting out the rules to make sure there are these protections that are put in place as the minister is making decisions on organizations. This is giving the CSOs and the NGOs who are doing this work a fair, judicial process, so that their interests and rights would be considered and cared for. I think this is a very reasonable expectation that organizations should have: that they would be protected in this process. It gives the organizations the confidence that they are actually being given a fair trial, and it takes away the potential to weaponize this legislation.

We are talking about the most vulnerable people in the world. These are places in the world where things are moving very quickly, and it's very difficult. We also know that these are areas of the world that, on occasion, are weaponized by the Canadian government, to be perfectly honest. We want to make sure there are protections that are put in place, and this is one of those key protections that we should be putting in place to make sure that NGOs applying for the authorization under this regime are offered the fair, judicial process that they are entitled to.

[The Chair, Liberal, Randeep Sarai]

Thank you, Ms. McPherson.

I'm seeing no further debate. Shall NDP-13 carry?

(Amendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

On NDP-14, we have Ms. McPherson.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

NDP-14 clarifies the reporting and transparency as recommended in the brief that was given to the committee by the sector. This amendment would require that the minister table the annual report within the first 90 days of the calendar year instead of 180 days. It would also require the minister to disclose how many applications for authorizations were made, approved or refused in the previous year, and it would also require the minister to forward an unredacted report to NSICOP and NSIRA.

[The Chair, Liberal, Randeep Sarai]

Thank you.

Shall NDP-14 carry?

(Amendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

Now we have CPC-3.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Thank you, Chair.

In recognition of the fact that there are a lot of questions about how this regime would work and the functioning of the bill, we have proposed an amendment that would significantly beef up the review requirements and move the timeline forward. It's basically asking the government to report back to the committee within a year, in a detailed way, about how well it's working and if further changes are required.

I think, given the urgency of passing Bill C-41, but also some of the questions about it, it makes sense for us to.... I think the approach we're taking is to pass it, but also to call for a quick review within a year to see if it is working or not.

Thanks.

[The Chair, Liberal, Randeep Sarai]

I have Ms. Damoff.

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

Thanks, Chair.

We will support it but would like to subamend it to add “and every five years thereafter”. The initial review would be done after a year, but if we don't add this in, it gets reviewed once after a year and then never again. We would like to add “and every five years thereafter”, but we support the change that the Conservatives have put forward.

[The Chair, Liberal, Randeep Sarai]

We will vote on the subamendment to CPC-3.

(Subamendment agreed to)

Shall CPC-3 as amended carry?

(Amendment as amended agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

Shall clause 1 as amended carry?

(Clause 1 as amended agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

(Clauses 2 to 6 agreed to)

[The Chair, Liberal, Randeep Sarai]

Shall the title carry?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Randeep Sarai]

Shall the bill as amended carry?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Randeep Sarai]

Shall the chair report the bill as amended to the House?

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

I'd like that to be a recorded vote, please.

[The Chair, Liberal, Randeep Sarai]

Yes, we will have a recorded vote.

(Reporting of bill to the House agreed to: yeas 10; nays 1)

Shall the committee order a reprint of the bill as amended for the use of the House at report stage?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Randeep Sarai]

Now I have Mr. Genuis.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Chair, we have now completed this bill and I understand there's agreement for us to consider a motion put forward by Mr. Moore.

[The Chair, Liberal, Randeep Sarai]

Yes, absolutely.

Go ahead, Mr. Moore.

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

Thanks, Mr. Chair.

I think the clerk has circulated this motion to everyone. You don't need me to read the motion, do you?