Evidence of meeting #2 for Public Safety and National Security in the 39th Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was clerk.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
I don't see anybody shaking their head vociferously, so we will adopt the same order.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
Last of all, concerning minority reports, the motion is:
That every party shall have the right to attach, as an annex, a dissenting opinion on any report to be sent to the House of Commons by the committee; and this dissenting opinion shall be submitted to the clerk of the committee within 72 hours of the passing of the report by the committee.
Is it agreed?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
Okay. We are finished.
Let's move over to the next item of business, which is future business of the committee.
As has been the practice of this committee, we usually do that all together. I am now open to consideration of future business of the committee.
I just want to let the committee know that I believe we are voting on Bill C-3, and assuming that it is passed and referred to the committee, that could possibly be our first item of business. I don't know if we're ready to do that by Thursday because we'd have to call witnesses, so that could be a challenge. I put that before the committee, if that may be the first thing you'd like to deal with next Tuesday.
Mr. Dosanjh.
Liberal
Ujjal Dosanjh Liberal Vancouver South, BC
I wasn't on this committee, so I am perhaps speaking out of turn, but I was told there was a witness protection study the committee was doing. It's really at the tail end of it and it doesn't need too much work. Perhaps we should finish that quickly and then get on to the bill, or anything else we might decide to do.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
How far were we on that witness protection...? Does anybody recall?
Go ahead.
Lyne Casavant Committee Researcher
Mr. Chair, there were six meetings devoted to the witness protection program last session. In the meantime, the Air India commission held some meetings on the witness protection program two or three weeks ago. They had some witnesses who provided a lot of information. I'm trying to get, for the committee, the paper that was submitted to the commission on the witness protection program that was done by Yvon Dandurand. I only have a copy in English, but it is available, I've been told, in French. I am looking for the French version.
There is also another person, Anne-Marie Boisvert, who wrote a document on the witness protection program for the Quebec government, and she was also a witness at the Air India committee. I think they had a lot of information that the committee didn't see. They heard from the RCMP a lot, from lawyers who were involved in the witness protection program, and also from experts from England and the United States, but not experts from Canada on this particular question. If the committee wishes, those are the two witnesses who I would think could bring some more information to this report.
Committee Researcher
My colleague, Ms. Casavant, is doing the work on this. Essentially what we're suggesting is that we're very close to submitting a draft instruction document to you so we can get drafting instructions and write the report while you're doing other things.
The Air India commission of inquiry has heard from these experts. Yvon Dandurand has written a comparative paper on witness protection programs in various parts of the world, not just the United States. He's from British Columbia. Anne-Marie Boisvert is a professor of law at the University of Montreal. Our suggestion is that if there is time we might have a panel of these two individuals, assuming they're available. Then you could give us drafting instructions and we could be drafting, for example, in the December-January period, while you're hearing evidence on Bill C-3, assuming you can get these people to come here fairly quickly.
Conservative
Rick Norlock Conservative Northumberland—Quinte West, ON
As a result of what the analysts have just said, I'd like to reinforce that. I think we need to go ahead with the witness protection program, with the proviso that as soon as Bill C-3 clears the House and comes to the committee, that it be our priority. If that's what the researcher is suggesting, then I think it's a good idea.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
Do you agree with the general spirit of what's being said here?
Ms. Brown.
Liberal
Bonnie Brown Liberal Oakville, ON
I see this bill clearing the House tonight and therefore being available to us by Thursday. Is the usual witness here the minister who comes first with the bill?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
After all the witnesses have been heard, then the officials and the minister would wrap it up.
Liberal
Bonnie Brown Liberal Oakville, ON
I don't know who you're going to get to be a witness on Thursday, unless these two people could come, but that's very short notice for them.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
That's really asking a lot of these people, but the clerk could check it out. Let me, as the chair, handle that, and I will send you a notice by Wednesday evening, which is when I guess you'd have to know. I would be surprised, because these people have a life and—
Liberal
Bonnie Brown Liberal Oakville, ON
Do I understand, Mr. Chair, that these are our two priorities? One is the bill and the other is to get one more meeting in on witness protection so we can launch the writing?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
Yes. If we can get those two witnesses to come before the committee, they have the written documents, which you can then use to write whatever.
Committee Researcher
Well, Chair, there is a second stage to witness protection. We would need a session with you based on my colleague's document to get drafting instructions from you, so we can write what you want us to say about witness protection.
Liberal
Bonnie Brown Liberal Oakville, ON
So we'd need two meetings on that at some point between now and Christmas. And we could mix them in with the bill.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
Sure. There aren't very many sessions left. I think this is about all we would get done before Christmas, because we only have one more week in November and then a couple of weeks after that. There are about six sessions left.
I'd like to see us get both of these done.
Monsieur Ménard.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
I can understand that C-3 is a priority, and I accept that completely. But it seems to me that meeting the new RCMP Commissioner is also a priority. He was appointed some time ago now and it is important for us to understand how he sees the future of the RCMP and what his immediate plans and priorities are.
It is also important for us to make suggestions on some of those priorities and to ask him questions about them. I am sure that if he had been appointed in the middle of a session, we would already have found the time to meet him. We should do everything possible, and more, to meet him before the Christmas break.
Conservative
NDP
Penny Priddy NDP Surrey North, BC
Thank you. These are just questions of clarification, because I did not have the privilege of being here the last session.
Would I be correct in understanding that there's a director of public prosecution still to be appointed? Is it a justice committee issue? I don't know if it comes to the justice committee or here.