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Minutes of Proceedings

44th Parliament, 1st Session
Meeting 20
Friday, May 13, 2022, 1:00 p.m. to 3:03 p.m.
Webcast
Presiding
Karen Vecchio, Chair (Conservative)

House of Commons
• Philippe Méla, Legislative Clerk
 
Library of Parliament
• Clare Annett, Analyst
Department of Justice
• Shannon Davis-Ermuth, Senior Counsel and Team Lead, Criminal Law and Policy Section, Policy Sector
• Claire Farid, Director and General Counsel, Family and Children’s Law Team, Policy Sector
• Melissa Moor, Counsel, Judicial Affairs Section, Public Law and Legislative Services Sector
Pursuant to the order of reference of Friday, April 29, 2022, the committee resumed consideration of Bill C-233, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Judges Act (violence against an intimate partner).

The committee commenced its clause-by-clause study of the Bill.

The Chair called Clause 1.

On Clause 1,

Leah Gazan moved, — That Bill C-233, in Clause 1, be amended by adding after line 9 on page 1 the following:

“(1.1) Section 515 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (4.2):

(4.21) If the Attorney General requests that an accused who is charged with an offence against their intimate partner wear an electronic monitoring device, the Attorney General must take all reasonable measures to ensure that

(a) a device is available that makes the monitoring possible, regardless of the geographic area in which the accused has been directed to remain; and

(b) if the accused were to approach any place where any victim, witness or other person identified in an order made under subsection (2) might reasonably be found, emergency services would be available to provide any necessary assistance to that person.”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Leah Gazan and it was negatived on the following recorded division:

YEAS: — 0;

NAYS: Pam Damoff, Michelle Ferreri, Leah Gazan, Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Andréanne Larouche, Sonia Sidhu, Jenna Sudds, Anita Vandenbeld, Dominique Vien — 10.

Sonia Sidhu moved, — That Bill C-233, in Clause 1, be amended by replacing lines 10 to 14 on page 1 with the following:

“(2) Paragraph 515(4.3)(c) of the Act is replaced by the following:

(c) an offence in the commission of which violence against a person was used, threatened or attempted, including against the accused’s intimate partner; and”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Sonia Sidhu and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Pam Damoff, Michelle Ferreri, Leah Gazan, Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Andréanne Larouche, Sonia Sidhu, Jenna Sudds, Anita Vandenbeld, Dominique Vien — 10;

NAYS: — 0.

Clause 1, as amended, carried on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Pam Damoff, Michelle Ferreri, Leah Gazan, Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Andréanne Larouche, Sonia Sidhu, Jenna Sudds, Anita Vandenbeld, Dominique Vien — 10;

NAYS: — 0.

On new Clause 1.1,

Pam Damoff moved, — That Bill C-233 be amended by adding before line 15 on page 1 the following new clause:

“1.1 Paragraph 3(b) of the Judges Act is replaced by the following:

(b) undertakes to participate in continuing education on matters related to sexual assault law, intimate partner violence, coercive control in intimate partner and family relationships and social context, which includes systemic racism and systemic discrimination, including by attending seminars established under paragraph 60(2)(b).”

The Chair ruled the proposed amendment inadmissible because it was beyond the scope of the Bill, as provided on page 770 of House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Third Edition.

On Clause 2,

Pam Damoff moved, — That Bill C-233, in Clause 2, be amended by replacing lines 19 to 22 on page 1 with the following:

“al assault law, intimate partner violence, coercive control in intimate partner and family relationships and social context, which includes systemic racism and systemic discrimination;”

The question was put on the amendment of Pam Damoff and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Pam Damoff, Michelle Ferreri, Leah Gazan, Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Andréanne Larouche, Sonia Sidhu, Jenna Sudds, Anita Vandenbeld, Dominique Vien — 10;

NAYS: — 0.

Clause 2, as amended, carried on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Pam Damoff, Michelle Ferreri, Leah Gazan, Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Andréanne Larouche, Sonia Sidhu, Jenna Sudds, Anita Vandenbeld, Dominique Vien — 10;

NAYS: — 0.

On Clause 3,

Emmanuella Lambropoulos moved, — That Bill C-233, in Clause 3, be amended by replacing lines 4 to 7 on page 2 with the following:

“matters related to sexual assault law, intimate partner violence, coercive control in intimate partner and family relationships and social context, which includes systemic racism and systemic discrimination, that were offered in the preceding”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Emmanuella Lambropoulos and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Pam Damoff, Michelle Ferreri, Leah Gazan, Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Andréanne Larouche, Sonia Sidhu, Jenna Sudds, Anita Vandenbeld, Dominique Vien — 10;

NAYS: — 0.

Clause 3, as amended, carried on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Pam Damoff, Michelle Ferreri, Leah Gazan, Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Andréanne Larouche, Sonia Sidhu, Jenna Sudds, Anita Vandenbeld, Dominique Vien — 10;

NAYS: — 0.

On new Clause 4,

Emmanuella Lambropoulos moved, — That Bill C-233 be amended by adding after line 9 on page 2 the following new clause:

“Coming into Force

4 This Act comes into force on the 30th day after the day on which it receives royal assent.”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Emmanuella Lambropoulos and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Pam Damoff, Michelle Ferreri, Leah Gazan, Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Andréanne Larouche, Sonia Sidhu, Jenna Sudds, Anita Vandenbeld, Dominique Vien — 10;

NAYS: — 0.

The Title carried on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Pam Damoff, Michelle Ferreri, Leah Gazan, Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Andréanne Larouche, Sonia Sidhu, Jenna Sudds, Anita Vandenbeld, Dominique Vien — 10;

NAYS: — 0.

The Bill, as amended, was adopted on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Pam Damoff, Michelle Ferreri, Leah Gazan, Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Andréanne Larouche, Sonia Sidhu, Jenna Sudds, Anita Vandenbeld, Dominique Vien — 10;

NAYS: — 0.

It was agreed – That the Chair report the Bill, as amended, to the House on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Pam Damoff, Michelle Ferreri, Leah Gazan, Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Andréanne Larouche, Sonia Sidhu, Jenna Sudds, Anita Vandenbeld, Dominique Vien — 10;

NAYS: — 0.

ORDERED, — That the Chair report the Bill, as amended, to the House.

It was agreed – That Bill C-233, as amended, be reprinted for the use of the House of Commons at report stage on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Pam Damoff, Michelle Ferreri, Leah Gazan, Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Andréanne Larouche, Sonia Sidhu, Jenna Sudds, Anita Vandenbeld, Dominique Vien — 10;

NAYS: — 0.

ORDERED, — That Bill C-233, as amended, be reprinted for the use of the House of Commons at report stage.

At 2:20 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 2:35 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee commenced its study of recommendations following the study of Bill C-233, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Judges Act (violence against an intimate partner).

Motion

Pam Damoff moved, — Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee has considered Bill C-233, an Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Judges Act (violence against an intimate partner), and wishes to make the following recommendations to the Government:

That the committee considered issues and consequences around the availability of cell service in the use of e-monitoring and recommends the Government of Canada move as soon as possible to ensure access to cell service is available across Canada, and that the committee feels strongly and recommends that when developing training for new judges, the issues of intimate partner violence, coercive control in intimate partner and family relationships, and social context be included.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Pam Damoff, Michelle Ferreri, Leah Gazan, Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Andréanne Larouche, Sonia Sidhu, Jenna Sudds, Anita Vandenbeld, Dominique Vien — 10;

NAYS: — 0.

The committee proceeded to the consideration of matters related to committee business.

Motion

Emmanuella Lambropoulos moved, — That the Standing Committee on the Status of Women report to the House that (a) access and availability to reproduction health services no matter where one lives in Canada, including safe and legal abortion, is a Charter right, and is ensured under the Canada Health Act, and (b) the decision to have an abortion made by women, transgender, and non-binary individuals for any reason, is their freedom of choice and theirs alone.

Debate arose thereon.

Motion

Shelby Kramp-Neuman moved, — That the committee discuss MP Lambropoulos’ motion once Bill C-233 is completely done, reported back to the House, the intimate partner violence study has been completed and all witnesses on the resource development and violence against Indigenous women and girls study have been heard.

Debate arose thereon.

Motion

Jenna Sudds moved, — That the debate be now adjourned.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Pam Damoff, Michelle Ferreri, Leah Gazan, Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Andréanne Larouche, Sonia Sidhu, Jenna Sudds, Anita Vandenbeld, Dominique Vien — 10;

NAYS: — 0.

At 3:03 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.



Alexie Labelle
Clerk of the Committee