Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome.
This is meeting 40 of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security. It's Wednesday, November 17, 2010, and today we're discussing two items of business before our committee. The first is Bill C-23B, an Act to amend the Criminal Records Act. We are also conducting a review of the Criminal Records Act in pursuance of Surrey North Member of Parliament Dona Cadman's private member's motion M-514.
I would just like to read to you an extract from the Journals of the House of Commons from Wednesday, September 29:
Pursuant to Standing Order 93(1), the House proceeded to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion of Ms. Cadman...seconded by Mr. Norlock...--That the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security be instructed to undertake a review of the Criminal Records Act and report to the House within three months on how it could be strengthened to ensure that the National Parole Board puts the public's safety first in all its decisions.
So we do have a responsibility that's been given to us by the House in order to report back. We believe that today is part of the order that has come to this committee.
Appearing before us today, we're very pleased to have the Honourable Vic Toews, the Minister of Public Safety.